The NFL Draft is officially one month away and that means the mock drafts are really going to start pouring in over the next 30 days.
ESPN’s Todd McShay released a fourth version of his mock on Monday and he has a new name landing with the Vikings with the No. 11 overall pick:
La’el Collins, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound offensive lineman from Louisiana State University.
Here’s what McShay says about Collins:
“We’ve had the Vikings take Teddy Bridgewater’s former go-to target at Louisville, DeVante Parker, at No. 11 previously, but he’s off the board in this scenario and the trade for Mike Wallace lessens their need at wide receiver. Cornerback is another need area, and Michigan State’s Trae Waynes would make sense, but they really need to upgrade their offensive line and Collins has the versatility to help at guard or tackle. He needs to improve some in pass protection but is a tough, high-character player who is very effective as a run-blocker with his massive frame and straight-line burst.”
Collins was named a Second Team All-American by Associated Press and chosen as the top offensive lineman in the Southeastern Conference.
Where does he rank among this year’s offensive linemen? He believes he’s the best.
“I’m the best offensive lineman in the draft,” Collins said, according to NFL.com. “I really believe in my abilities and am very confident in what I do. I want to compete against whoever and win a spot. It’s very important to have that mindset heading into this next level of football.”
For proof of how good he is, Collins advised folks to take a look at his game tape against Florida, where he says he won most of the individual battles against potential top five pick, Florida edge rusher, Dante Fowler.
Collins played left tackle in college, but Mike Mayock believes he’ll transition to the NFL as a right tackle or guard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB-URPeh61k
