Cali LB gets offer

When Mission Viejo, Calif., takes the field for their season opener they return the heart of their defense in middle linebacker Jed Collins (6-3, 240, 4.8). Collins was selected League Defensive Player of the Year, first-team all-state underclassman, first-team all-CIF and first-team all-County as a junior.

Collins performance was one of the reasons that Mission Viejo won the Southern Section CIF Division II championship in 2002. Mission Viejo defeated Division II power Newhall (Calif.) in the championship game. Hart was the only team to put a blemish on SS CIF Division I champ Los Alamitos when they tied the Griffins in the season opener a year ago.

Collins is a player who doesn’t rest on his laurels. He has worked hard in the off-season to get ready for his senior season.

Collins improved his bench from 295 to 325, his squat from 470 to 510. Collins also cleans 285. He improved his 30-inch vertical to 31-inches.

Collins also had a standout Nike camp last April when he benched 185 pounds 24 times and ran a 4.17 shuttle.

Collins racked up 113 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, six fumbles caused, six deflected passes, four fumble recoveries and two sacks as a junior.

Collins has an offer from Washington State and has received phone calls from and made contact with Washington State, Washington, Kansas State, Colorado and Utah. He lists his top eight schools in no particular order as Washington State, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Utah.

The scouting report on Collins is he’s an intelligent football player and he’s like a coach on the field. He calls all the defensive plays and makes sure everyone in lined up in the right place and on the same page.

Like a quarterback at the line of scrimmage, Collins is required to make snap decisions before the snap depending upon what the offense shows its formation, Collins makes his read. It is his responsibility to call a blitz or any other defensive package.

For those of you who like to see Collins in action you can catch him and his Mission Viejo mates against Fountain Valley at Huntington Beach high school at 7:00 PM PST.

If you can’t make it in person click on the link.