The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bama’s Cooper, Collins ticketed for first round
Premium prospects lead deep contingent of Crimson Tide players.
INDIANAPOLIS — With 11 players invited, Alabama led the contingent of SEC players participating at the NFL scouting combine.
Among them, wide receiver Amari Cooper and safety Landon Collins are the projected first-round picks.
The rest of the group: running back T. J. Yeldon, quarterback Blake Sims, linebackers Trey DePriest and Xzavier Dickson, fullback Jalston Fowler, wide receiver Chris Jones, offensive guard Arie Kouandjio, offensive tackle Austin Shepherd and wide receiver DeAndrew White.
Some of the recent defen- sive backs from Alabama have struggled in the NFL. Dee Milliner, the ninth overall pick of
Combine
the 2013 draft, is off to a slow start with the Jets. Safety Mark Barron, the seventh pick in 2012 by Tampa Bay, was traded to St. Louis on Oct. 28 for fourth- and sixth-round picks.
Cornerback Kareem Jackson was the 20th taken overall by the Texans in 2010 and has been a solid starter of 71 of 74 games. Collins pointed out that Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the 21st overall pick last season, had a strong rookie season with Green Bay.
“He made a big impact when he got in the league,” Collins said. “It’s just the mindset you have to go into the game with. You can’t just think because you’re an Alabama player, you’ll just live up to some status. You have to work hard like you’ve been working hard since you were four years old.”
Before attending the combine, Collins sought advice from Clinton-Dix.
“We caught up,” Collins said. “We’re going to catch up after this because I’ll have more time after my meetings and stuff like that. So, we’re definitely close.”
Collins patterns his game after that of former Miami and Washington safety Sean Taylor. He’s hoping to hear from the Redskins.
“It’s actually my favorite team because Sean Taylor played there,” Collins said. “Him and Clinton Portis were my favorite two players. I’d love to play there if I got the opportunity.”
Cooper, West Virginia’s Kevin White or Louisville’s DeVante Parker will be the first wide receiver taken in the draft. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock says Cooper reminds him of former St. Louis wide re- ceiver Torry Holt.
“I certainly want to be the best receiver, not just in this class, but overall, wherever I go. And I’m going to work hard to try to be that,” Cooper said.
Cooper ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds and had a 33-inch vertical jump. White was clocked a little faster at 4.35 seconds.
“I take good pride in the way I release off the line and coming out of my breaks,” Cooper said. “That’s really the only two ways you can get open. I think that’s probably what would separate me from someone else.”
Yeldon, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds, was a productive college back. Mayock believes he’s a third- or fourth-round pick.
“I feel pretty sure I can help any team that selects me in the draft,” Yeldon said.
He was hampered by injuries at times.
“I had a toe, ankle and hamstring,” Yeldon said. “My hamstring was the worst one, but it’s back 100 percent now.”
After playing for coach Nick Saban, Yeldon believes he’s ready for the NFL.
“Coming from Saban, he’s been an NFL coach and he kind of brings it to the University of Alabama,” Yeldon said. “His style, as far as how he prepares us, gets us ready for the NFL.”
Sims, who went to Gainesville High, is considered a developmental quarterback prospect.
“I have talked to Philly, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, New York Giants and Tampa Bay,” Sims said. “They were very proud of the way that I overcame a lot of things at Alabama and what my story was. They didn’t know a lot of guys that would have done what I did, coming from running back and going straight to quarterback for my last year.”