He ran over 5-flat, which means he likely will fall and that will be a mistake for a lot of football teams," Collinsworth said. 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? But when I watch Alabama guards trying to pull and kick Ojulari out, they were met with force and failed to move him. Later in the 2020 season, Moehrig started making more and more plays. [24] His son, Austin Collinsworth, is a former football player and team captain at the University of Notre Dame. Hes won a total of 16 Emmy Awards. Cris Collinsworths speed provided him with plenty of scholarship opportunities and he chose to stay in the Sunshine State to attend the University of Florida. 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 . Even the scouting combine photo of Cris Collinsworth, which turned 40 this spring, seems to reflect the audacity of that second-round pick in 1981. [23], In 1990, he became a part of the NBC network's NFL broadcasts, as well as some of the college programming. The Butkus Award winner made some of the flashiest plays in college football last year. James Lofton, Cris Collinsworth, Nolan Cromwell, Joe Cribbs, Jimmie Giles Likes. ", On 22 Jan 81, von Mann said Verser "is my choice of the receivers I've seen Rare and exceptional ability, he should be an outstanding performer in his first year. Collinsworth, who was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1959, has won five Emmy Awards. With a wide receiver class filled with slot guys, Terrace Marshall Jr. sticks out. 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. He spent three years on the networks No. His running skill was inherited by his daughter Ashley who won the Kentucky High School title in the 100 meters race, and ran for Harvard later where she became a team captain. But football certainly wasnt the only sport in which Collinsworth excelled as he also played baseball, was a four-year letterman in basketball, and also won a state championship in track. 12 all-time Gator player.[16][17][18]. After college, Collinsworth was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2nd round of the 1981 NFL Draft. 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. He will not beat himself with penalties, either. His pedigree as a former five-star recruit doesn't hurt matters, either. The 6-foot-4 Paye is a freaky athlete who ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and a sub-6.5-second three-cone. Cris Collinsworth is an American Journalist and Sportscaster. 10 and then chose Verser when he took one last look at Collinsworth in his shorts. Any time you have a 240-pound edge player, there will be physical concerns. A very intelligent person. New Career In 107 regular-season games. The team will take him out of that four-point stance and work on his explosion off the ball. Geoff Hobson. I considered USC's Alijah Vera-Tucker here due to his guard-tackle versatility, but I ultimately went with the more powerful player in Leatherwood to block for Henry. He returned to the Bengals and played for them through the end of the 1988 season, catching three passes for 40 yards in Super Bowl XXIII, the final game of his career. He is Brady-like with his in-pocket movements but still has enough speed to be a factor in the running game. Was Cris Collinsworth Any Good as an NFL Player? If Farley can maintain his health, he will make Deion Sanders-like flashy plays running down overthrown balls. Collinsworth played wide receiver on a competitive Cincinnati Bengals team that made the Super Bowl twice during his eight-year career. Born in Dayton and the son of a Cincinnati educator before the family moved south, Collinsworth was already popular in town before he became one of the most iconic Bengals. Moehrigs passion will fit perfectly in Tampa, and he likely wont be left in as many slot man coverages with the Bucs. So, the Cardinals will try to replace Patrick Peterson with a similar presence in their secondary. He shoots gaps quickly and seems to always be a step ahead on his reads. Against Tennessee, he was down to a foot off the ground, regained his balance and completed the sack. I would have gone either Christian Barmore from Alabama or CB Jaycee Horn from South Carolina, but Parsons will be hyped like crazy as the best player available at this point. He broke through early to help the Bengals to Super Bowl XVI.. He comes off the ball low and powerfully in the run game and has plenty of athleticism in space. While all this back and forth was going on in Cincinnati in the months leading up to the draft, Collinsworth didn't know he was a prospect until the Hula Bowl invited him in the preseason for the post-season all-star game. Even when he does (get jammed), he doesn't fall down. 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. Going head-to-head with long time rival Lawrence, . He spent 8 years in the NFL, all of them with the Cincinnati Bengals. This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 07:02. Anthony Cris Collinsworth[1] (born January 27, 1959) is an American sports broadcaster and former professional football player. Collinsworth hadn't done the slide earlier in the year, but he. His straight line speed was average at best, but he could separate and get open. His speed flashes often, and he consistently pulled away from SEC defenders. "The guy had me on the hook for five minutes," Collinsworth says. The pivotal moment comes when you are already running, make that move on the DB, and THEN burst into the extra gear. 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. Please join us over on PFFs YouTube channel before, during and after the draft for a complete analysis of every pick. PFF is a football performance data and technology company. He has no fear across the middle, while his ability to take big hits and hold onto the ball may be his best trait. Collinsworth served as a correspondent for NBC Sports coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Marshall is an uninterested blocker, but he has the size to do it at the next level, where there will be added motivation. He would likely be the first cornerback taken in this draft but for his recent back surgery. [5], His family, including Cris and his younger brother Greg, moved from Ohio to Melbourne, Florida, in 1963, when Cris was four years old. At 6-foot-5 and 257 pounds, Oweh ran a remarkable 4.3-second 40-yard dash. I never once saw a defender catch him from behind when he was in his prime. 3 that no trade seemed fair. The Lions, meanwhile, are quietly building their own war chest as protection behind a one-year trial with quarterback Jared Goff. The Bears would love to sizzle in this draft, but only solid picks remain. Lawrences running skills may allow him to put up Josh Allen-type red-zone numbers in 2021, and he also possesses excellent seam-throwing skills that I thought were underutilized at Clemson this year. [27], Collinsworth earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991. Only Mike Brown is alive from that day the Bengals stunned the world and took receivers with the first two picks. I dont believe the Niners traded up with Trey Lance in mind. The reports that Fields has been managing epilepsy may have caused him to drop, but he is an accurate passer, will learn to work through progressions better and is an absolute bear as a runner. Short legs get running faster than long legs, so the taller receiver always has to make up ground in the last 30 yards. Three others finished with the exact same time but the 6'5 Collinsworth outleaned his competitors at the tape to take the title. [7], Collinsworth's combination of height and speed attracted the attention of college football programs throughout the South, and he accepted an athletic scholarship from coach Doug Dickey to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. 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. Im expecting new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen to attack much like Wink Martindale does in Baltimore. If all it took was straight line speed, every Olympic sprinter would be a great wideout. "Memories have been made to conform with what you wish you had done or said," Brown says. But make no mistake, he is a bad man. Collinsworth played his final NFL game in the 1989 Super Bowl, catching three passes for 40 yards as the Bengals fell 20-16 to the San Francisco Giants. Justin Herbert proved his worth last year, so the Chargers respond by investing in his development and protection. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Check Out Some Great Areas to Explore On and Off Road on a Can-Am Maverick from Route 1 Motorsports, HOT OFF THE PRESS! He then started working for HBO as a reporter in 1989. When the call didn't come at No. [28] Another son, Jac, also attended Notre Dame and was a features reporter for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown before joining his father at NBC, where he is the on-site host for Football Night in America and also hosts NBC's Notre Dame football, NASCAR, and coverage for other big events such as the Indianapolis 500 and Kentucky Derby. If they want a good test for WRs, they should run 60 yards and ignore the first 20. Most of the pressures Leatherwood gave up at Alabama were to speed rushers, but with his strength, he may never allow a pressure if bumped inside to guard. This was a coinflip for me between Farley and the safer pick of Northwesterns Greg Newsome II. [14] He graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1981 and was inducted into the University of Florida Student Hall of Fame the same year. He also carried the ball 18 times for 100 yards. His father played in the NBA for eight years, and if Rashawn's feet are anything to go by, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. He's the kind of player that, at least at the college level, opposing offensive coordinators had to gameplan around. He isnt a power player or a finesse player, but he lands somewhere dependably in between. Cris Collinsworth: Picture of productivity. Playing quarterback for the War Eagles outstanding coach Jay Donnelly, he was also named to the all-state team in basketball during his senior year, and won the 100-yard dash in the Class 3A State Track and Field Championships as a junior. Mon-Fri : 9am to 5pm - 603-459-8358 After Hours : 603-921-6158 Milt von Mann, the ex-Marine, filed his military-crisp report on Collinsworth on "1 Nov. 80," and circled '2,' for the round he'd take him. Brown is my choice to surprise this year in the same way Justin Jefferson did in 2020. He finally figured out it was a Florida teammate and not the Giants. Here's the Collinsworth's audio. Cris spent his entire NFL career with the Bengals. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. some comments that probably would have been best kept to himself, he tweeted after watching Polite's game film. Apply & Register TODAY for Spring 2023 Classes at Eastern Florida State College, HOT OFF THE PRESS! [24] He also served as color commentator for NFL Network Thursday night games (and one Saturday-night game) alongside play-by-play man Bryant Gumbel and Bob Papa. Andrew Livingston That is why CC was a Pro Bowler. Collinsworth was taken in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft with the 37th overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals and was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. Jaylen Hurts gets an intimidator outside. "(He) had a bad Pro Day. There is no doubt about the player only the position. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. He proved last year that he can play left tackle after previously featuring at guard. The more tape I watched, the more I was convinced that Phillips was the best defender in this class. His wiggly moves will remind you a little of Jason Pierre-Paul in his early years. But the 49ers paid so much to get to No. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that from December on Verser was No. Collinsworth, a senior, had 40 receptions for 599 yards and three touchdowns. His son, Austin, played football at the University of Notre Dame. Jerry Rice supposedly ran a 4.6 40 which put him in the "slow" category. When the hands hit 12, Verser caught 23 balls in his career and by the time Collinsworth played in his second Super Bowl, he was out of the league. A Superstars special that was held during the N.F.L. He was a Pro Day superstar. All rights reserved. Jaylon Waddle is certainly in play here, but Smith won the Heisman voters and me over with his end-of-season run. Collinsworth was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (37th pick overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft,[19] and spent his entire eight-year NFL career with the Bengals. It was a close-run thing.". What a tough SOB Collinsworth was, He'd get killed over the middle and get right back up. Infante, who passed away five years ago at age 75, coached and played at the University of Florida in the two decades before Collinsworth enrolled at Gainesville. Lawrence hit Kirk perfectly in the hands. But in a nice harbinger, Collinsworth does remember that night going on the radio with Bob Trumpy on the WLW show Collinsworth would inherit before the decade was out. He can catch the ball in his hands. "Cris Collinsworth gushed over Mahomes throwing a ball into the dirt, and yet criticized Lawrence for overthrowing a. He had quickness, size and he was fast. [20] In his first season, Collinsworth was the team's leading receiver and set the Bengals franchise record for receptions by a rookie with 67, the most by an NFL rookie wide receiver in 21 years. "He reminds me of a shorter but faster Pat McInally," Pete Brown wrote. Mike Brown says. maybe not the end for Al and Cris just yet. The family was full of speed and quick runners. One of the things I really like about Waddle is that he tends to hold his speed and create comfort for the defensive back before hitting the jets, and then it is all over. Emmy Award Winner. So was Collinsworth's future Bengals Super Bowl teammate James Brooks. running the 40-yard dash at either 4.43 or 4.44, depending on the . He finished his eight-season career with 417 receptions for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns in 107 games. 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. Tough pick here. He is fast enough for any stunt or loop and wins quickly in one-on-one situations. He is a very comfortable catcher of the ball and has good top-of-the-route moves, similar to Keenan Allen. Upon retiring, Cris Collinsworth quickly dove into his next career as a broadcaster, first taking a job as a sports radio host at WLW in Cincinnati. The fumble would be immediately followed by a 92-yard 49ers touchdown drive, and San Francisco won 2621. Toney's weakness comes in traditional route running. Plus he caught everything. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The Ravens can rush anybody on the field from any position. 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. your life your choice quotes cris collinsworth 40 yard dash time Cris Collinsworth: Picture of productivity. Again, I would have taken Dyami Brown here, but Brown ran only a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at just 185 pounds, so he will give way to Bateman despite looking much faster on the field. "I have a very distinct memory of that practice when they first came in," Mike Brown says. Collinsworth was moved to wide receiver, where his new position coach was former Gator quarterback Steve Spurrier in his first year as a coach. Here we go! His RPO footwork is special, he is a dangerous runner in space and he has a great feel for back-shoulder and high-and-away throws to protect the ball and receivers. Gregg for his discipline. von Mann sensed the room even before Infante went on his trips: "This could be the guy Lindy Infante wants! He ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, showed great poise on deep balls and got his head around easily to locate the ball at Northwestern. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. This is where the action really begins. 37, the Bengals took the kid with the watch. This isn't a sexy pick, but it gives the Titans a powerful guard, if they choose to play Leatherwood inside, or a solid run-blocking tackle who will need some support in pass protection. The way the story goes, which is now locked somewhere between myth and microfilm, Bengals founder Paul Brown watched offensive coordinator Lindy Infante climb off the table after his impassioned plea to take Collinsworth at No. He then became a reporter for HBO's (now Showtime's) Inside the NFL in 1989. He began his career with the Gators as a run-first quarterback but transitioned to wide receiver as a sophomore and was a First-Team All-SEC selection for three consecutive seasons, also earning All-American honors in 1980 as a senior. He is nearly impossible to cover inside on option routes. He knew all about Collinsworth," Wood says. Relentless effort will always work for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. At one point in time, Cris Collinsworth could be soon on HBO hosting Inside the NFL, on the NFL Network doing color commentary, and on NBC as a studio analyst when the network got the NFL back with Sunday Night Football. Better runner than our running backs.". He is by far the most skilled pass rusher of the players left on the board. 3 years later he worked on the Super Bowl. He was smart . He was a quick runner, at a 4.4 second 40 yard dash speed, he was a true threat to opponents. Alabama running back Najee Harris could be the choice here if the Steelers opt to go for one of the more powerful offensive linemen in Round 2. Clemsons team in 2020 was not as good as it was in past seasons, so he did struggle at times, and Miamis athletes and pressure did unsettle him some. Wilson misses throws rolling right more than he should, but his skills are special and he could be great. Next to strong points von Mann jotted, "Great athletic skill. ("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. Plus, he has shown that he can displace people as a run-blocker including Alabama's defensive line. The Chargers' history of offensive line issues has been erased in just one offseason. (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Corey Dillon (Complete Story), What Happened To Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson? [24] He also continued his work on Inside the NFL when it debuted on its new home on Showtime.[24]. Checkdowns will become his best friend in the new 17-game season. It was announced on April 16, 2009 that Collinsworth would replace John Madden in NBCs Sunday Night Football, leaving the NFL Network. Collinsworth, who received his bachelors degree in accounting from Florida in 1981, earned his law degree from the University of Cincinnatis College of Law in 1991. Ojularis balance sticks out, too. Welcome to PFF draft week! It's a rare sight to see a quarterback escape Ojulari in space. 37.Three Hall of Famers were already off the board in Lawrence Taylor, Kenny Easley and Ronnie Lott. Wilson floats around the pocket like Joe Montana and flicks the ball like an Aaron Rodgers. But Riverfront Stadium wasn't exactly some kind of barnyard in that rookie season of 1981. Cris spent his entire NFL career with the Bengals. Batemans 4.39-second 40-yard dash time surprised me. Mar 21, 2022. He did get bulled into the QB at times, though. Before Cris Collinsworth became an All-American at the University of Florida, a three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals, and an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, he was a star at Astronaut High School in Titusville, Florida. He may have benefited from a lot of open receivers in college, but his tight-window throws stood out. 1 on the Bengals list, Collinsworth No. He has great eyes and awareness in zone coverage and makes plays on the ball. In 2001, he was inducted into the Verizon Academic All-America Hall of Fame. We had a guy, Lionel Manuel, who ran in the 4.6's, but was tough to cover. February 13, 2023 Space Coast Daily News Brevard Countys Best Newspaper, WATCH! What we do know now on the 40th anniversary of that draft is that just not Tom Brady is a result of fate and fortune. 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2023 draft class. He was incredibly fast, which not only helped him succeed on the football field but as a track and field star as well. This falls under the too good to pass up category for the end of the first round. He's able to wiggle around into gaps. He filled the color-commentator vacancy left by all-time NFL great John Madden in 2009. Collinsworth played quarterback in his prep years and was named an All-American as both a junior and senior. He was a high school quarterback whose 58 total touchdowns still rank third all-time in North Carolina state history. 2021 NFL Draft Big Board | 2021 NFL Draft Guide | 2021 NFL Draft Stats Export | NFL Mock Drafts | NFL Mock Draft Simulator. I have never seen a player quite like Rousseau, who is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds with an 83-inch wingspan. 100 Yard Dash: 10.18: 1982 Preliminary 4 . Retweets. ", "Jac Collinsworth Joins ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown", "Mike Tirico will fill in for Al Michaels during Sunday Night Football 'bye weeks', Cris Collinsworth rescued from runaway floating restaurant, 2007 New England PatriotsNew York Giants game, Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality, Analyst, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cris_Collinsworth&oldid=1141080314, Notre Dame Fighting Irish football announcers, Players of American football from Cincinnati, Players of American football from Dayton, Ohio, Players of American football from Florida, University of Cincinnati College of Law alumni, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Short description is different from Wikidata, NFL player missing current team parameter, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Collinsworth is currently second on the Bengals' all-time list for receivers with 417 catches for 6,698 yards. He faced the best receivers in the country, and his physical style created issues for almost everyone he faced.