Arkansas Razorbacks Football

An Arkansas professor was arrested Saturday following an incident in which he reportedly screamed obscenities at Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema after the team's 49-30 loss to Alabama.

According to multiple Twitter accounts noted by ArkansasMatters.com, a man later identified as Lawton Nalley told Bielema, "If I had your record, I'd be f--king fired. F--k you," as he went off the field. Nalley is listed as an associate professor of agri-economics and agribusiness at Arkansas.

Police arrested Nalley for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Trent Shadid of SEC Country noted the professor was not arrested for cursing at Bielema but was taken into custody after an apparent argument with officers.

Austin Kellerman of KARK 4 News posted his mugshot on Twitter:

The fan arrested for yelling obscenities at Bielema is Lawton Nalley. He's an associate professor at U of A. (1/2) #ARNews pic.twitter.com/cY8Ar46vYf

— Austin Kellerman (@AustinKellerman) October 9, 2016

"I embarrassed myself, the college and the university," Nalley said in a statement Monday, via Jason Kersey of SEC Country. "I hold myself to higher standards and have no excuses for my actions. I especially want to apologize to Coach Bielema."

Lona Robertson, the interim dean of the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, confirmed Nalley would remain employed by the university, per Kersey. 

Public drunkenness and disorderly conduct are misdemeanor crimes. Each carries a penalty of up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.

Bielema, in his fourth season at Arkansas, has posted a 22-22 record. The Razorbacks entered Saturday's showdown with the No. 1 Crimson Tide ranked 16th nationally but were outclassed. Alabama led 35-10 in the second quarter, forced five turnovers and dominated before taking its foot off the pedal late.

"I'm disappointed for the fans to not give them the win today," Bielema said, per the team's website. "... We spotted them two to three touchdowns. ... Obviously, that is too much to give up to the No. 1 team in the country."

The loss dropped Bielema's record against Alabama to 0-4. Three of those four games were decided by two or more scores.

Arkansas has not released a statement regarding Nalley. It's not known if he has been released from custody.

     

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.

Montaric Brown announced Thursday that he's planning to play college football at Arkansas, providing a solid boost to the Razorbacks' 2017 recruiting class.

 pic.twitter.com/6ryO191FO5

— August 24th♌ (@yvngsimba3) July 28, 2016

Brown carries a 4-star distinction and ranks as the No. 195 overall prospect in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He also rates as the No. 18 safety and the top incoming player from the state of Arkansas.

The Ashdown High School star has displayed an advanced understanding of how to read and react to a play from the safety position. He sports a terrific first step, smooth acceleration and good hands—all the telltale signs of a ball hawk.

Ashdown head coach Matt Richardson told Richard Davenport of WholeHogSports that Brown is most comfortable when making plays on the ball.

"The best thing he does is ball skills," Richardson said. "Because of his hips he can run with receivers."

While the other areas of his game—whether it's providing over-the-top support in pass coverage or dropping into the box to help against the run—aren't as polished, his upside is intriguing. Those other skills can be honed on the practice field. His natural instincts can't be taught.

Managing to keep Brown in Arkansas is a major victory for the Razorbacks. Beating out other high-profile programs like Alabama and Baylor in order to land a top in-state prospect makes quite a statement for head coach Bret Bielema and his staff.

The decision also makes a lot of sense for Brown.

Not only does he get to stay closer to home, but his path to playing time features fewer hurdles than it would have with a secondary-rich team like Alabama. And he still gets to go up against SEC competition.

It's hard to project exactly when Brown will make his way into the starting lineup. But this signing is more about his long-term upside anyway. Once he makes the necessary improvements, particularly in terms of run support, he should become a high-impact player for Arkansas.

             

HOOVER, Ala. — Move over, Steve Spurrier. There's a new sheriff in town.

When the "Head Ball Coach" abruptly resigned from South Carolina in October of 2015, it left a void in the SEC "talkin' season" universe.

Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has filled that hole.

The fourth-year head coach of the Razorbacks stole the show on Wednesday at SEC media days with his wit, candor, subtle shots and willingness to display his personality on the biggest offseason stage of the year, rather than hide it from the cameras.

Shots at other teams? Bielema's got that.

With Alabama head coach Nick Saban making the rounds at the same time on Wednesday and the status of tackle Cam Robinson and safety "Hootie" Jones in question, Bielema made it clear that he doesn't have those kinds of problems in his program.

"You don't have to worry whether or not—if I'm going to suspend anybody for the first game," Bielema said in the main ball room. "It doesn't come up in our program. Not to say it won't. At some time it may rear its ugly head. In four years I never had to make a decision about the opening game if I'm going to start somebody or not."

Bielema also isn't afraid to get a little raunchy. 

When asked to describe his team, Bielema veered more toward an R-rating.

"At Arkansas we're not built very sexy, we're just kind of a work in progress," he said. "We need a lot of time in the bathroom to get ready and come out and look great. But when we do, we'll stop time. And at some point we'll get to where we want to be. And when we get there, it just means a little bit more."

The sexy talk wasn't done, either.

Michigan recently renewed its rivalry with Notre Dame, which forced the Wolverines to cancel their planned series with the Hogs. When asked to address the cancellation, Bielema stuck up for his program in a way that only he can.

"I'm sorry, the Michigan-Notre Dame thing sounds sexy to everybody else, but I think Michigan and Arkansas sounds sexy," he said.

This isn't the first time that Bielema has steered the media days bus down this road.

Last year in the TV room, Bielema had a creative way to describe his feeling when his team took a knee to beat Texas in the 2014 Texas Bowl.

"It was a proud moment" he said. "Borderline erotic."

He described defensive lineman Deatrich Wise as "beautiful" in the main ball room. Two years ago, he went even farther when describing then-true freshman defensive lineman Bijhon Jackson.

Bielema is honest, forthcoming, self-deprecating and fun. He's everything Spurrier was when the Head Ball Coach was in the conference—minus only the visor.

Spurrier is missed, there's no doubt about that.

But with Bielema around, there's always a guarantee on the table that SEC media days is going to get weird.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee

The Arkansas Razorbacks got a huge lift in their 2017 recruiting efforts, landing junior college tight end Jeremy Patton. 

Patton announced his commitment on Twitter, saying, "I will be continuing my journey at the University of Arkansas!"

Patton is a highly touted recruit in 2017. The Arizona Western standout is rated as a 4-star prospect, the No. 1 JUCO tight end, No. 1 JUCO player in his home state of Indiana and No. 4 overall JUCO player, per 247Sports. 

He is an impressive physical specimen at 6'6" and 230 pounds and a difficult matchup for college defensive backs and linebackers. 

Per Richard Davenport of Whole Hog Sports, Patton had an impressive freshman season at Arizona Western with 316 yards and four touchdowns on 17 catches, which led to offers from at least 27 schools, including SEC rivals Alabama and Auburn. 

The Razorbacks are having a strong week of recruiting. In addition to Patton, head coach Bret Bielema's team has nabbed commitments from former Texas offensive lineman Jake Raulerson and two-way player Jordon Curtis. 

Patton is the clear standout among the trio because of his talent and the role he fills for the program. Arkansas lost Hunter Henry to the NFL in April, and Jeremy Sprinkle is entering his senior season. 

Tight ends have played a huge role in Bielema's offense since he took over at Arkansas in 2013. Henry finished second on the team in receptions and yards each of the last three years. 

Walking into a situation that will likely require him to play a lot right away had to intrigue Patton. He's joining a program that has increased its win total each of the last two years and is only getting stronger under Bielema's watch. 

This marriage has the potential to take Arkansas' offense to the next level as it looks to keep up with SEC West powers such as Alabama, Mississippi and LSU in the future. 

While the tight end position has seen a plateau in offensive attention, it’s still one of the most dynamic positions offenses can game-plan with. But few tight ends leaving the college level can threaten in the three areas that the position requires: route running, catching-point finishing and run blocking.

Thriving in any one of those three areas can get you on an NFL roster, but the few who can have NFL-level success at all three are worth drafting early. In what’s become a deep but mid-round-heavy tight end class, Arkansas’s Hunter Henry stands alone as the draft’s best tight end.

Finishing with 739 yards receiving on 51 receptions this year, 2015 marked the third straight season he’s been the No. 2 leading pass-catcher for the Arkansas offense. And especially this season, Henry has gotten work at every receiver spot and every possible tight end alignment and run nearly every route a tight end or receiver would need to at the NFL level.

It’s that adeptness at all three key areas of the tight end position that cement his place alone atop the tight end rankings and could push him firmly into the Round 1 discussion as the draft nears. 

As a Route-Runner

His experience at outside, slot and a true tight end spot has allowed him versatility in a host of routes, both in- and out-breaking. He’s been groomed in the Arkansas offense to thrive in the slot and on interior routes, allowing the vertical threats the Razorbacks offense has had to thrive on the perimeter.

While experience has certainly benefited Henry, it’s his devotion to the craft that appears to have paid off. He’s active in his upper half to shake through linebacker physical coverage and separate from his defender with shoulder movement and positioning.

Additionally, he’s shown deliberate and plant-powerful footwork in his route to quickly and efficiently establish position for throwing windows for his quarterback, especially against zone coverage.

Along with efficient route running in the short area and against zone coverage, Henry separates himself from other tight end prospects in his smoothness at the second and third level of defenses and his ability to still generate separation. In the seam, Henry uses his hands to subtly maneuver through or around linebackers, especially mastering the in-step arm-over on linebackers or defensive backs as he baits vertically to attack back inside.

But what’s most impressive is his ability to win with routes generally reserved for a receiver’s route tree. As in the play below, Henry runs what's normally a slot-receiver wheel route, with a finishing comeback route at the step. Notice how his footwork and downfield-anticipation route style forces the defensive back to lean back despite Henry never considering threatening vertically.

Henry runs his route perfectly to finish for a first down on a 3rd-and-10, getting his team in the red zone.

He can be a bit delayed in separating on underneath routes, and his somewhat slow start off the line of scrimmage limits his effectiveness on underneath routes that aren’t predetermined and set up by teammates. Additionally, he’s not overly physical in separating with his upper half on the interior, which lingers over into his pass-catching physicality as well.

As a Catch Finisher

While not always the most physically imposing ball-catcher at the tight end position, Henry wins with more finesse receiving upside. On the inside, he works under defenders well to elude initial and after-catch contact, sliding to the ground or adjusting his body to avoid big hits.

While soft isn’t the right word, Henry is choosy in which hits he takes on the inside and rarely leaves his body up for grabs when it comes to downhill contact aimed at disengaging the ball from linebackers or defensive backs.

And especially impressive is his finishing ability on the outskirts of the usual tight end routes. A plus-red-zone target and sideline receiver, Henry plays with remarkable balance, poise and speed control to finish in the air, control his lower half and maintain body control to run upfield or, at the very least, finish within the boundaries.

Henry could be more physical when approaching the catch point in midfield, and it’s a question NFL teams will need to answer as to whether he’s purposely avoiding contact or if he’s just not rising with upper-half strength to finish those catches. He does shield pre-catch to allow him to finish, but the avoidance of contact will likely come up in team meetings about the tight end.

As a Run-Blocker

Often underappreciated in the modern tight end scouting report, run blocking is a critical dynamic that allows a plus-body type and athletic specimen of a tight end to be more than just an oversized receiver. Run blocking is the staple that separates receivers from tight ends, and Henry has proved effective in this area.

A part of a run-based offense, Henry has gotten ample experience in zone- and man-blocking opportunities, and he shows a great willingness to extend, pivot and finish blocks. While not providing overly powerful push on the perimeter, Henry plays with a wide base, controlled hands and a real focus for the position. 

And at the second level, Henry shows extra patience and hand control to engage and allow his talented college running backs to explode downfield. He even received work as a pass-blocker in 2015 and showed the same effective wide base and initial hand placement to slow rushers enough to merit his value as a sixth pass-blocker when needed.

Clear Top Tight End

Versatility is an overused word when it comes to tight ends. Most college tight ends get experience in the slot and at multiple tight end alignments. The real key when evaluating tight ends from college to pro is to see if their versatility reaches over to effectiveness at the three core skill sets a tight end requires.

Henry, while not the most physical or explosive tight end prospect, shows a focused and refined route tree, a controlled and plus-positioned catch-finishing ability, and a devotion to run blocking. 

Not as sexy as some of the top tight ends of the past, Henry is the best the 2016 NFL draft class has to offer. And with a handful of playoff teams needing an added interior pass-rusher coupled with Henry’s perceived “safeness” as a prospect, he could be destined for a first-round selection. While his talent level doesn’t scream top-32 prospect, his NFL readiness, polish and reliability in every key tight end area should make him the only plug-and-play tight end from the 2016 class.

"I like our team. I like a lot about 'em."

Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has plenty of offensive holes to fill this offseason—one in which his team is not the darling of the college football world, as was the case a year ago.

Those holes include spots vacated by senior quarterback Brandon Allen (3,440 yards, 30 touchdowns), running backs Alex Collins (3,703 career rushing yards in three years) and Jonathan Williams (2,321 rushing yards in three years), tight end Hunter Henry (1,661 receiving yards in three years) and stud offensive linemen Denver Kirkland and Sebastian Tretola.

"We've got some shoes to fill," Bielema told Bleacher Report Radio on Saturday. "But I like our demeanor. They go about their work ethic second-to-none. I like the way they handle themselves."

The most gaping is obviously at quarterback, where Allen went from lighting rod for criticism and his truck being egged to a difference-maker at quarterback who tossed 15 touchdowns over the Hogs' final five games of the season.

His absence is huge, but luckily for Bielema and the rest of the staff, Arkansas has amassed talent and options over the last three years.

Austin Allen, younger brother of Brandon, is the most experienced quarterback on the roster. While Allen is talented, and comes from the right lineage, that experience is hardly something to fall back on. The 6'2", 210-pound junior served as his brother's backup in 2015 but attempted just three passes with his lone completion going for a 35-yard touchdown.

"Austin is the most likely incumbent, but we are going to open that baby up and let everybody compete," Bielema said.

This should be one of the most intriguing quarterback battles in the country, with redshirt sophomore Rafe Peavey and redshirt freshman Ty Storey—who were both highly touted signal-callers coming out of high school—and USC transfer Ricky Town—who transferred prior to the 2015 season after enrolling early and going through spring practice with the Trojans.

"Ricky was kind of in a tough spot," Bielema said. "He came in after the second week of fall camp, and we jumped him right into the drills. He really didn't get to learn the offense. I know Robb Smith and our defensive coaches said he did a great job throughout the year on the scout team, and his leadership and all that goes into it. I'm excited to see Ricky pop in there.

"In bowl practice, we saw that he had a live arm and does a lot of good things in reading and understanding."

The inexperience on the roster in terms of playing time and snaps taken with the first team can be negated, though, by the presence of second-year offensive coordinator Dan Enos. Enos, who previously was the head coach at Central Michigan for five years, produced a 3,000-yard passer for the fifth time in the last six years in his first season in Fayetteville.

"Dan did a really great job of developing quarterbacks," Bielema said. "He was able to bring them along and do things during the year that we really haven't been able to do before. I give him a lot of credit to that partnership."

While Allen was amazing in 2015, finding the replacement—or replacements—for Collins and Williams is an enormous offseason task for Bielema. Kody Walker stepped in nicely for Williams when he was lost prior to the season and rushed for 394 yards and six touchdowns. Rising sophomore Rawleigh Williams was solid too, rushing for 254 yards and a touchdown before a neck injury suffered against Auburn ended his season.

The running back of the future, though, signed on the dotted line on national signing day.

Devwah Whaley, a 4-star running back from Beaumont, Texas, will head to Fayetteville later this year with a ton of pressure on his shoulders. He's expected to contend for snaps right out of the gate, and at 6'0", he's as complete as Collins was when he came to the program after putting on some weight.

"He's a very physical player. He's 228 pounds, runs really well and has some really good track times," Bielema said. "What's going to set him apart is how he's going to handle the transition from the spread to the power eye."

The biggest part of the transition is in pass-blocking, where Bielema and Enos depend on their running backs to be able to recognize where blitzes are coming from and not suffer any breakdowns.

"He's got to get the system, but more than anything, it's the techniques," Bielema said. "These SEC linebackers are a little different. That will be a big adjustment. But I know this, he doesn't lack courage or ability. He's got good girth and a good understanding."

While Arkansas isn't known for its receivers, it has become "tight end U," of sorts, with Henry and quarterback-turned-tight end A.J. Derby both having success during Bielema's tenure. Finding Henry's replacement will be a huge factor in the success or failure of the new quarterback. Jeremy Sprinkle caught 27 passes for 389 yards and six touchdowns a year ago and should slide right into Henry's spot with relative ease.

"We like what we do," Bielema said of his team's success with tight ends. "I tell you what, Jeremy Sprinkle is a guy who I think will emerge out of the ashes from this year. At 6'5", 260 pounds, he's a guy who runs really well."

Bielema is still building, but hopes are high in Northwest Arkansas.

"It's Year 4 of our program, Bielema said. "I've always felt that Year 5 would be the measuring point. If we can get one a year early, I'd like that as well."

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics are courtesy of CFBStats.com, and recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.

The 2016 Senior Bowl, in all of its fanfare, is an amazing and complicated resource for NFL scouts to evaluate prospects. As is true throughout the process, evaluating quarterbacks is especially unique, where every measurable is thoroughly discussed, and every throw is heavily scrutinized.

For Brandon Allen, the NFL draft process is still in its infancy. But after just a few short days in Mobile, Alabama, NFL teams have already learned so much about the Arkansas quarterback, both good and bad.

After starting 37 of Arkansas’s last 38 games and finishing his senior season with a 30-touchdown and eight-interception performance, Allen’s college career can be looked back on with optimism for an NFL future.

A strong-armed passer who helmed an offense that worked through its running game, play-action passing and utilizing his tight end (Hunter Henry) and running back (Alex Collins) in the passing game, Allen’s college film offers plenty for NFL teams to extract NFL readiness and tools to further develop at the pro level.

But scouting quarterbacks for many NFL evaluators start off as a meeting of thresholds. Across the NFL scouting industry, there are a handful of key measurable minimums that prospects need to meet to prevent size from harming their draft value. For quarterbacks, there are two key numbers: height, in which 6’2" is generally the preferred minimum and hand size, in which 9 ½" is the general threshold.

Arkansas’s Brandon Allen didn’t meet either one of those thresholds at the 2016 Senior Bowl weigh-ins. Allen measured in at 6’1 ½" tall, the second-shortest quarterback in Mobile, and with 8 ½-inch hands, he was the smallest of any passer in the three major all-star games.

Hand size has become a buzzword in the scouting industry, especially each year around Senior Bowl week. And while college team fans and supporters of a prospect's college career will try to dismiss it, hand size can be a key indicator of a quarterback’s ability to gather the ball off the snap quickly, control it throughout their release and possess overall ball security at a position that touches the ball on each and every play.

For Brandon Allen, it’ll be a question he’ll have to answer to NFL teams throughout the process, and even then, it might not be enough to quell concerns from decision-makers when it comes time to finalize their draft boards.

But on film, Allen's hand size is simply not a problem. Allen received his fair share of quick snap-to-throw situations, spun a consistently tight pass with ample velocity and didn’t have fumble issues at Arkansas. Allen seems ready to prove to NFL teams that his hand size won’t be an issue.

“I’ve never had a problem during my college career,” Allen stated in an interview during the Senior Bowl’s annual Media Night. “I think part of that is my baseball background. Growing up, I always worked on grip strength for both baseball and football. I’ve never had an issue with fumbling or anything throughout my career, and I think I can actually throw tighter passes and control the ball better than most quarterbacks with bigger hands here [at the Senior Bowl]."

Based off just a day of practice, Allen appears to be living up to that. On a South roster that features North Carolina State’s Jacoby Brissett, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Alabama’s Jacob Coker, Allen clearly displayed the most velocity of any of the quarterbacks. He spun the most consistently tight passes and finished quick throws with plus placement and control throughout practice.

While developing chemistry with receivers in a few snaps is next to impossible, Allen seemed to be the most comfortable of the four passers in anticipating route breaks and delivering high-velocity yet catchable passes to his weeklong teammates.

Building off a successful first day, Allen should continue to impress as the week progresses. Along with having the best velocity of the group, Allen appears to be the most natural passer of the group, adjusting his mechanics for different types of throws and working off the move effectively. He does possess a slightly sidearm release from the pocket, something scouts will have to determine if that’s a detriment at all or, more importantly, if he uses that to better control the ball in his release.

Like in college, Allen should display efficiency in his placement on interior and quicker outside throws, while really taking advantage in team drills and on game day with vertically stretching opportunities. He’ll be one of the favorites to finish the Senior Bowl as game MVP, especially considering how quickly he’s become comfortable with the receivers on the South roster.

Height and hand size will be the two-buzzword phrases that Allen will be battling for the next three-and-a-half months. And to make matters worse, there aren’t a whole lot of quarterbacks with smaller hands who haven’t had fumbling problems to some extent in the NFL.

But in today’s NFL, quarterbacks who have ample velocity and can step in early in their career and play efficiently have become highly valued. Unlike quarterbacks such as Dak Prescott and Jacoby Brissett, Allen doesn’t need more time to develop before an NFL team can feel comfortable throwing him into the fire.

Allen's NFL readiness is a huge plus in a draft class in which most of the top passers appear to need a full year before any team can genuinely trust them to lead its offense.

Brandon Allen didn’t meet the measurable thresholds that NFL teams covet, but in a quarterback-driven league where adequacy at the position has begun to grow few and far between, Allen can provide that and more. His performance as a passer during the process, at the NFL Scouting Combine and in film reviews for NFL teams should build toward a mid-round draft selection.

Compared to some of the other quarterbacks in Mobile, Allen is playing a bit of catch-up, recouping his draft value on the field rather than the measuring stick. It only takes one NFL team to overlook measurable numbers and give Allen a chance to be his team’s key backup quarterback and allow him to develop.

A strong Senior Bowl performance could do wonders to ease decision-makers’ concerns moving forward and land him as an early to mid-round drafted quarterback.

The age of the first-round running back has long since come to pass as NFL teams devalue running backs' importance, and for good reason. But along with Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott, Arkansas RB Alex Collins has the unique skill set to buck the trend and match last year's draft with two Round 1 running back selections. While he'll have competition for draft position with Elliott and Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, Collins will earn high marks throughout the draft process with his sights set on the top 32 picks.

The top-ranked running back in the country coming out of high school, per 247Sports, Collins emerged as the SEC Freshman of the Year en-route to a thriving career at Arkansas. Sharing time with Jonathan Williams, another NFL-worthy back, early in his career, Collins remains relatively fresh among NFL running back prospects, with three years of experience and under 700 career touches. 

Offering elite acceleration when he has space, Collins possesses top-end speed that should approach the 4.4-second level at the NFL combine's 40-yard dash, and he gets to that top speed in a hurry during live-game action. That type of acceleration, coupled with his sheer size and bulk, gives him a Le’Veon Bell-like impact in the open field, as he can win with speed or power in open space.

Offering plus-strength at first contact, Collins works through tacklers even before he’s built up speed. In this play against Texas Tech, Collins couples that initial break through contact with that elite acceleration, gaining speed at an alarmingly fast pace and leaving second- and third-level defenders behind him en route to a long touchdown run:

He can be a bit off balance and reckless laterally when initially getting to the hole. Offering a one-cut-and-go running style when his initial hole is open, Collins gains speed at a high level and turns into a downhill, remarkably physical open-field runner.

The occasional issues in his initial running angles stem from an overeagerness to get into one-on-one opportunities. He can get lost in his initial burst at times, and could stand to play with a bit more control as he approaches the hole on most non-draw plays.

However, that primarily stems from his understanding that few college tacklers can finish against him in one-on-one opportunities. His initial-step issues are a coachable fix, and with that being his biggest issue, it could simply be a matter of a year of development before Collins is trustworthy enough to not miss opportunities at the NFL level. 

He keeps his feet moving persistently at contact, and stays strong with a willingness to fight through double tackles. He’s willing to lower his head and bulldoze upfield, keeping his feet moving. He wasn’t asked to do this often at the college level thanks to his offense and the spread nature of his blocks, but he’s displayed the ability to throw off-balance defenders off him in the red zone and initiate physicality himself. Through contact and as he splits tight gaps at the second level, he’s able to both get skinny and balanced along with playing with great ball security.

His acceleration coupled with quick cuts laterally at the second level allow him to consistently gain separation and keep his top speed in the open field. His vertical speed rarely loses steam as he changes direction subtly in the open field, and despite appearing and playing like a bigger, more physical back, Collins offers elite open-field maneuvers to spring free.

In this play against Kansas State, notice how he works around the edge with a slower buildup, accelerates once he passes the first level and evades the open-field tackler easily with an inside cut, gaining speed at a remarkably high level for a tackle-breaking running back:

His initial vision and anticipation of defensive alignments could be improved, however, as his offensive system at times allowed for larger gaps than he’ll see at the pro level. But that’s generally true of many top running backs in offenses that threaten horizontally and vertically.

Finally, he received ample work as a pass-catcher in his junior season, including lining up in the slot, and has better than expected route-running footwork and spins his head back to the quarterback with control and readiness. Collins’ flashes as a receiver stem from confidence in space and in one-on-one matchups. He’s not an efficient route-runner yet, but he’s comfortable off of play action and in delayed routes.

Collins dips his head occasionally in pass protection on the perimeter, but he’s effective against both speed- and power-rushers. That said, he is much further along and has more experience, than most college running backs entering the NFL draft

To offer first-round value as a running back, a prospect needs to show rare running upside that can single-handedly lead an offense. With most of the NFL's top running backs being drafted after Round 1, or not at all, it's much easier to dismiss the position on the first day rather than appreciate the elite talent.

Collins doesn't have to be a Todd Gurley or Adrian Peterson type talent, but he needs to boast a skill set that can offer an offense an impact that few can provide at the NFL level. The former top-rated high school running back has the bulk, strength and acceleration combination that already puts him in the upper echelon of NFL running backs as soon as he's drafted.

It'll take at least a year in the NFL before his complete upside can be realized at the NFL level, but Collins will receive lofty draft comparisons and expectations throughout the draft process.

Collins has to earn a first-round grade from NFL teams, and at his position, with other top running backs vying for the same spot, it won't be an easy task. But he is one of the few elite skill-position talents in the 2016 NFL draft, and with so few franchise-changing players in each draft class, Collins may be too special to pass on in Round 1.

It's the offseason, which means you desperately need something to hold your college football attention over the next nine months.

After all, conference championship deregulation, way-too-early top-25 rankings and the impending talk of satellite camps (which will pop up again during the spring meeting cycle) can only go so far, right?

Don't worry, Bret Bielema is here for you.

The affable fourth-year head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks will star in a web-based reality show from Bo Mattingly of Sports Talk with Bo, a statewide syndicated radio show, as well as Little Rock-based production company JM Associates.

The trailer for the show, which is appropriately called Being Bret Bielema, hit YouTube this week and looks like one of the can't-miss programs of the offseason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQqD6eZtJc8

There is no other coach in America who deserves a reality show more than Bielema.

"I've never seen anybody spend 10 minutes with him and say that they don't like the guy," Mattingly told Bleacher Report. "He's so personable and engaging. I guess growing up on a farm, he learned some characteristics on how to treat people. It doesn't matter who he's around, he's the same guy."

Judging from the trailer, it's everything you'd expect from Bielema...and more.

After all, how many coaches would ride shotgun around Memphis prior to a bowl game and randomly shout out battle cries—in this case "woo pig"—at unsuspecting fans of both Arkansas and Kansas State?

One.

How many head coaches would randomly spout a Christmas truth about why eggnog should not be exclusively a holiday drink?

One.

How any head coaches describe a quarterback kneel to end a bowl game as "borderline erotic," as Bielema did during 2015 SEC media days in reference to his team's victory over Texas in the 2014 AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl?

One.

"I thought people would find it fascinating to see how he is in his everyday life," Mattingly said. "The more we can show him not coaching football and show more of his personality, his music, his flip flops, his joking, his idiosyncrasies and superstitions, the better. He's just a unique guy."

Can you imagine what Bielema might say at a recruiting event to a bunch of Hog fans? What about when he's hanging out by the pool?

The possibilities are endless.

"At Fleming's steakhouse in Memphis, they had a coaches dinner with the wives," Mattingly said. "Bielema's got this room at Fleming's, and he's buying steak for everybody. He just invites the bus driver to come in and eat with them. So the bus driver is sitting next to a staff member, just hanging out like it's no big deal. Bielema introduced him to everybody. He's just always like that."

This series comes at the perfect time for the SEC, too.

The SEC lost one of its greatest quote machines in October when former South Carolina and Florida head coach Steve Spurrier abruptly resigned from the Gamecocks, and that void needs to be filled.

Bielema is doing just that.

The show, which is still shooting, will be released as five-minute shorts starting in February and is still in production. It could land a bigger platform as interest grows.

"Right now, we are planning a miniseries release on YouTube," Mattingly said. "Who knows where else it will go. This really happened fast. We will probably have about five, five-minute shorts on YouTube. There's so much stuff, and we are still shooting, so it may become something more than that."

The perfect production plan for the unpredictable Bielema.

"We didn't want it to be in a box," Mattingly said. "We just wanted to roll some stuff out and show people some different scenes of him being Bret Bielema."

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics are courtesy of cfbstats.com, and recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.

Look good, play good?

If that's the case, the Arkansas Razorbacks should have the game of their lives against Kansas State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

For its final game of the season, Arkansas broke out stunning red chrome helmets—a nice hit of cardinal against the Razorbacks' mostly white uniforms.  

Worst-case scenario, the reflective metallic surface may be enough to temporarily blind a defender or two...

[Arkansas Razorbacks]