("But I was only trying to make him feel better," the agent pleaded is how Collinsworth remembers it) and he can't recall who called from the team. NFL World Is Not Happy With Cris Collinsworth Sunday Night. Collinsworth on being a modern athletic rarity, a four-sport (football, basketball, baseball, track) star at Astronaut High in Titusville, the metropolis of 31,494 people adjacent to Mims: "It's. Plus, he has shown that he can displace people as a run-blocker including Alabama's defensive line. Despite a cordial chat with legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant, who wanted him to be his option quarterback, and a recruiting pitch from eventual Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, Collinsworth chose to play quarterback for coach Doug Dickey at the University of Florida. But his best two sports were clearly football and track and field. So, the 49ers go the developmental route with Trey Lance and let Jimmy Garoppolo play one more year. Relentless effort will always work for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. His flaws will be as an inline blocker and any route that requires him to stop quickly and come back to the ball, but when he is moving forward, Pitts is almost unstoppable. Cris spent the next several years gaining broadcasting experience on several networks including HBO and the NFL Network. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark four times and ended his eight-year pro career with 417 catches for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns, adding an additional 21 catches for 354 yards and a touchdown in three postseason games. He has power and a great inside move; his one-armed jam creates space that he takes advantage of, and he just has a frenzied approach to the game. He is fast enough for any stunt or loop and wins quickly in one-on-one situations. The Bears would love to sizzle in this draft, but only solid picks remain. Good hands, speed, quickness. At Notre Dame, his son earned an MBA in Investments. He was smart . He also wants to jam with two arms instead of using his length with a one-armed jam. The talented edge rusher expressed some regret for how he handled things up in Indianapolis at his Pro Day -- be sure to check out this piece as Polite was quite frank about his missteps -- but he still failed to turn in better numbers running and looked a bit stiff in positional drills. Abroken hand slowed Collinsworth his first season as he moved to wide receiver for his sophomore season, and began a three-year stretch where he would be named All-Southeastern Conference first-team each season. His father, Abe Collinsworth, who played for a national championship basketball team under Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky, was his high school principal. Brady's competitiveness during his time with the New England Patriots. This was a coinflip for me between Farley and the safer pick of Northwesterns Greg Newsome II. Matt Ryan may be my closest comparison, but that works for me. "It worked out," said the kid who was all arms, legs and brains, "just fine and dandy.". And if not, the Raiders look foolish. His children were also successful scholars. He remained with the Bengals until the 1988 season, catching three passes for 40 yards in Super Bowl XXIII, the final game of his career. His 5.24-second 40-yard dash didn't dazzle, but he has great feet and doesn't separate on blocks. This falls under the too good to pass up category for the end of the first round. "Uncle Willie was 40 years older than us," he says . I will always think that Kyle Shanahan traded up to get Mac Jones, but the fan base revolted. His double-moves are frightening, given his speed, and few receivers run them more often. He has size and strength. At 6-foot-5 and 257 pounds, Oweh ran a remarkable 4.3-second 40-yard dash. You've got to create space and most importantly with all of these guys we 've talked about, catch the football. Even the scouting combine photo of Cris Collinsworth, which turned 40 this spring, seems to reflect the audacity of that second-round pick in. You must. Very good balance and agility.". My personal choice would have been North Carolinas Dyami Brown, but Marshall likely gets the nod due to his size. After several years as a color commentator on the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show, Collinsworth was assigned to the network's lead game broadcasting crew (teaming with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman) in 2002. In 1995, he appeared on HBO broadcasting at Wimbledon with Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, and Barry MacKay. [24], In 2006, Collinsworth could be seen on three networks during football season. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I guess it just goes to show the draft is potluck to some degree.". He can also drop into coverage for new Jets head coach Robert Saleh. He comes off the ball low and powerfully in the run game and has plenty of athleticism in space. After a while I figured out what they wanted.". After running a 5.0 40-yard dash, some are questioning how far Polite could now be . The Browns for their roster building. The Gators struggled the next season but Collinsworth caught 41 passes for 593 yards and two touchdowns despite Florida finishing 0-10-1. He will fight and hold and jam the entire game. He finished his outstanding career at Florida with 120 receptions for 1,937 yards and 14 touchdowns. [3], Collinsworth was born in Dayton, Ohio,[4] the son of Abraham Lincoln "Abe" Collinsworth (who was born on Abraham Lincoln's birthday) and Donetta Browning Collinsworth. Jaylon Waddle is certainly in play here, but Smith won the Heisman voters and me over with his end-of-season run. He catches the ball so easily that converting to his great running skills happens very quickly. Collinsworth played four years of basketball for his dad and also played some baseball for the War Eagles. Collinsworth, who disclosed neatly on his Bengals information form that he was studying accounting, wore contacts and glasses while supplying the address and phone number of parents Donetta and Abe Collinsworth in Titusville, Fla., had been recruited by Infante when Infante was the offensive coordinator at Tulane. Horn allowed a completion rate of only 33% on throws into his coverage in 2020. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991. Free agents Corey Linsley and Matt Feiler will team with Darrisaw to complete the transformation. Salary: $12.5 Million Per Year. Collinsworth played in his second Super Bowl during his final season in 1988. ginger@flasportshof.org, Mailing Address: He finished his outstanding career at Florida with 120 receptions for 1,937 yards and 14 touchdowns. 407-575-7801 Does that mean he knows that anybody with a build that would conjure up ungainly comparisons from Don Knotts to Ichabod Crane shouldn't even think about being selected in the first round of any NFL Draft? You are right on the money about his route running ability. "It's always a wild ride," Collinsworth says of a draft he now covers as one of the NFL's best and visible network analysts, another confirmation of those smart kid scouting reports. You can rely on him to do what he's told to do.". The action you just performed triggered the security solution. A series of head injuries forced him to retire from football early in his college career, but after his return, nobody was better rushing the quarterback in the second half of the 2020 season. I am not sure if the Patriots would prefer Mac Jones or Justin Fields, so I gave them my choice: Justin Fields. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. "I'm not here to condemn anyone. Waddle likely would have been a top-10 pick but for his injury. Anthony Cris Collinsworth[1] (born January 27, 1959) is an American sports broadcaster and former professional football player. . There are still good edge players on the board, but defensive improvement is key this year in Cleveland. 1 overall. ProFootballHistory.com. [21] He surpassed 1,000 yards receiving four times (in 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1986) and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1981, 1982 and 1983. One scouting report from December with an indecipherable signature concluded Verser is "the No. Arthur Smith did great things in Tennessee with multiple tight end sets, and despite having a defense that needs help everywhere, the value with Pitts here is just too high to draft defense. "It was a fortuitous pick. He was a high school quarterback whose 58 total touchdowns still rank third all-time in North Carolina state history. February 13, 2023 Space Coast Daily News Brevard Countys Best Newspaper, WATCH! He proved last year that he can play left tackle after previously featuring at guard. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Personal life Collinsworth currently lives in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, with his wife Holly, and their four children. In Super Bowl XVI, Collinsworth caught 4 passes for 107 yards, but committed a costly fumble when he was hit by San Francisco defensive back Eric Wright. Only Mike Brown is alive from that day the Bengals stunned the world and took receivers with the first two picks. Three-time Pro Bowl Selection. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Jerry Rice supposedly ran a 4.6 40 which put him in the "slow" category. His son, Austin is currently the Vice President of Distribution for Pro Football Focus. What a tough SOB Collinsworth was, He'd get killed over the middle and get right back up. My mock draft features one trade, as I have the New England Patriots moving up for Ohio State's Justin Fields, while thefirst two picks rank first and second on PFF's draft board. THE 2017 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will take place at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on Friday, May 12 with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. and dinner and ceremony at 7 p.m. Forinformation aboutthe Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017, or to make a nomination, call 321-615-8111 or e-mailContact@SpaceCoastDaily.com. von Mann sensed the room even before Infante went on his trips: "This could be the guy Lindy Infante wants! Enjoy Space Coast Daily, Brevard Countys Best and Most Read Magazine, HOT OFF THE PRESS! Paye's get-off is unimpressive for his athleticism. His tackling is not flashy, but he breaks down and gets guys on the ground. Mon-Fri : 9am to 5pm - 603-459-8358 After Hours : 603-921-6158 37, the Bengals took the kid with the watch. Infante told the press the Verser pick was a consensus choice and that's what the notes from that 1981 draft reveal among the scouts. He's 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds and ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. He has much to learn, but sometimes, that's what teams are looking for: guys who can improve. National Football League, Historical Players. Cris Collinsworth begged Colts to do one thing during 'Sunday Night Football' Collinsworth served as the analyst for the Week 13 "Sunday Night Football" game between the Colts and Cowboys,. Who is Cris Collinsworth? This is where the action really begins. The Lions, meanwhile, are quietly building their own war chest as protection behind a one-year trial with quarterback Jared Goff. "He reminds me of a shorter but faster Pat McInally," Pete Brown wrote. Despite his reputation of having a limited route tree, I think he will prove that it had nothing to do with him. You had to think your way through it.It ended up being a nice fit. [8] Collinsworth was a senior captain on the 1980 Gator team that posted the biggest one-year turnaround in NCAA Division I football history at the time, improving to 84 after posting a 0101 record in 1979, Charlie Pell's first season as Florida's head coach. Later in 1991 he earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnatis College of Law. Graduate of the University of Florida, chosen in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he had a eight-year NFL career that included three Pro Bowl appearances (1981-'83) and a pair of Super Bowls. Cris Collinsworth's 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Penei Sewell goes to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. I think he could easily be the best lineman out of this draft. [27], Collinsworth earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991. Or does that mean he knows that in that first round everyone is going to miss out on one of the toughest and most productive wide receivers in the 1980s NFL? He is not afraid of man coverage and brings a very aggressive mindset. Cris Collinsworth hall of fame 1 on the Bengals list, Collinsworth No. . Wilson floats around the pocket like Joe Montana and flicks the ball like an Aaron Rodgers. [23], In 1990, he became a part of the NBC network's NFL broadcasts, as well as some of the college programming. He knew all about Collinsworth," Wood says. His play in the College Football Playoff elevated him to the next level. And when I watched the tape, my first question was, what am I suppose to not like about Mac Jones?. It was reported the day after the draft that he had spent the offseason visiting the top ten receivers on campus and put them through the high jump, broad jump, made them run dashes and patterns and asked them questions. The following season Collinsworth led the way in one of the biggest turnarounds in NCAA college football history as Florida finished 8-4. He was great as a sophomore and led the country in yards per route run. Cris won the 100 yard dash in the 70s with his younger brother taking bets from spectators. Collinsworth played quarterback in his prep years and was named an All-American as both a junior and senior. 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2023 draft class. You can tell he is smart and has a plan on each and every snap. This pick has nothing to do with skills; Farley checks that box despite being new to the position. "We had them graded closely enough to talk about it," says Brown, the Bengals president, of that first round. Collinsworth and Costas paired again during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Short legs get running faster than long legs, so the taller receiver always has to make up ground in the last 30 yards. 2023 Maverick Multimedia, Inc. 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Most speed receivers dont block or take hits on slants or balls thrown over the middle, but Brown does both. stars, six of whom had participated in previous Superstars finals. He will run down backs trying to bounce outside, and as quarterbacks get more mobile, defenders will have to match those skills. Good running ability after catch. [24], Collinsworth is on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. Smith's lack of size will create doubt until you watch him play. He's an easy pick for No. Following the 2018 season, NBC SNF became the first-ever 10-time honoree for Outstanding Live Sports Series and won its 11 th honor in the category . Click to reveal He also carried the ball 18 times for 100 yards. He wasn't going to beat many people in a 40 yard sprint, but he got into and out of his cuts at his top speed. But, the first 10 yards for a receiver are not relevant. He fights hard to get to the edge against guards, using his hands well, and then is just too much to keep from turning the corner. Collinsworth was the host of Inside the Vault on WGN America.