Michigan Football: Predicting where top prospects land in 2021 NFL Draft

3. Nico Collins, WR: Tennessee Titans (85th overall)

The Wolverines are likely not going to have another player selected until the third round. The lack of definitive talent between Kwity Paye and Jalen Mayfield and the rest of the prospects is highly noticeable. Wide receiver Nico Collins will be a player that will be highly sought after near the middle or late third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

After playing in four games while starting in one of them in 2017, Collins became a starter for the Wolverines the following season. He appeared in all 13 games in 2018 while starting 11 as he caught 38 passes for 632 yards and six touchdowns. He was the recipient of the Offense’s Most Improved Player award that season. In 2019, played in 12 games with 10 starts as he caught 37 passes for 729 yards and seven touchdowns.

Collins opted out of his senior season this past year due to the impact of COVID-19. As a result, his NFL draft stock dropped significantly.

He is a physically gifted receiver who has good speed once he gets going on an aggressive vertical route. Collins will have to win heavily contested passes as he is limited in his route running. He isn’t a speedy receiver with a good first step. He is similar to Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf in many ways.

The Tennessee Titans have serious concerns in the secondary, which they will have to address in the first two rounds. After making these picks in the secondary in the first and second round, the Titans are likely going to use their first offensive pick on a wide receiver. The Titans did not have much impact outside of Corey Davis and A.J. Brown at the wide receiver position. Davis left via free agency to the Jets and now the Titans need a new No. 2 deep-threat receiver.