Patriots' Jamie Collins: The photo says it all

Posted on: January 27,2015

Malcolm Smith of the Seattle Seahawks last year became only the third linebacker in Super Bowl history

Cleveland

to win MVP honors.
He followed Chuck Howley of the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V and Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV.
But the Las Vegas odds against Smith winning again are 100 to 1. Meanwhile Tom Brady is the favored at 8-5, followed by Russell Wilson at 7-2 and Marshawn Lynch at 7-1.
If a linebacker were to win it for a fourth time, the oddsmakers lean toward New England’s Jamie Collins of Southern Miss at 50 to 1 or Seahawk K.J. Wright of Mississippi State at 75 to 1.
Every time you see a Super Bowl story about Collins, it will usually contain the word “freak” — as in Collins is a physical freak. He can run like a wide receiver, jump like an Olympian.
In Mississippi, we’ve known that for a long time. He played quarterback in high school, before playing safety, linebacker and defensive end at USM.
Truth is, he could have played tight end or wide receiver as well.
This photo, from the New Orleans Bowl shot by Ryan Moore, shows a little —actually a lot — of why Collins is called a freak.