Knows how to set up a DB to go by Could be a big play guy could start for us. However, he can squat on routes too much and will be challenged deep at the next level. After retirement, Cris started sportscasting, first on the radio as a guest host, then he took on the show by himself. 37.Three Hall of Famers were already off the board in Lawrence Taylor, Kenny Easley and Ronnie Lott. His flaws will be as an inline blocker and any route that requires him to stop quickly and come back to the ball, but when he is moving forward, Pitts is almost unstoppable. He also has a way of gaining separation early in the route and then holding it with his size and strength. It was a challenge to play Cover 0 versus Florida because you couldnt leave Toney one on one with anybody. He is currently ranked 4th in school pass receiving charts and is even tied for NCAA record for longest touchdown pass (99 yards against Rice as a freshman quarterback in 1977). Collinsworth on being a modern athletic rarity, a four-sport (football, basketball, baseball, track) star at Astronaut High in Titusville, the metropolis of 31,494 people adjacent to Mims: "It's. PFF's Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects. Mar 21, 2022. [26], One of the most well-known trademarks of Collinsworth's work in the broadcasting booth was his performance of the "Collinsworth Slide" before each game. 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. They raved about both. In 1985, Collinsworth signed with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League (USFL), but the contract was voided when he failed the physical due to a bad ankle. . Jaylen Hurts gets an intimidator outside. He was just a blur against Notre Dame in Alabama's semifinal contest. A guy that would leave eight years later as the franchise's all-time leading receiver with a game of guts and guile that Brown would call great? He retired from the NFL following the 1988 season. I guess it just goes to show the draft is potluck to some degree.". But dont let his thin frame fool you: He will show some pop against linemen trying to pull and kick him out. 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 . 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. Collinsworth's best event was the 100-yard-dash and in 1976, he won the Class 3A state championship in the event, running the race in 10 seconds flat. 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. ", 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. He has flashy speed and is almost impossible for backs and tight ends to block when he sets his sights on the quarterback. If all it took was straight line speed, every Olympic sprinter would be a great wideout. Collinsworth, a senior, had 40 receptions for 599 yards and three touchdowns. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Oweh didn't even play football until his junior year of high school, which may explain his lack of pass-rushing skills. 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. Quote Tweets. 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. All rights reserved. Right away you knew. But when I watch Alabama guards trying to pull and kick Ojulari out, they were met with force and failed to move him. But Kim Wood never joked about his strength of heart and body. His speed flashes often, and he consistently pulled away from SEC defenders. As of now, his inside move is his best. His ball skills and creative contested catches are really special; he knows how to position/stack his body against the defender in very creative ways, and he doesnt foul while doing it. Cris Collinsworth is among Brevard Countys greatest four-sport athletes as he starred in football, basketball, track and field and baseball for Astronaut High School. 1 WR in the draft. He was smart . Horn allowed a completion rate of only 33% on throws into his coverage in 2020. He has size and strength. 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. Next to strong points von Mann jotted, "Great athletic skill. He finished his eight-season NFL career with 417 receptions for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns in 107 games. 12 all-time Gator player.[16][17][18]. The next year was big for him as he became a part of NBC's family. The Eagles get lucky here. Part of that is that Polite is dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, which has impacted him. Cris Collinsworth's 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Georgia's Travon Walker goes The more tape I watched, the more I was convinced that Phillips was the best defender in this class. We wouldn't have taken him except my father consented to us taking him in the second round. The talented edge rusher expressed some regret for how he handled things up in Indianapolis at his Pro Day -- be sure to check out this piece as Polite was quite frank about his missteps -- but he still failed to turn in better numbers running and looked a bit stiff in positional drills. "He has some wayward motion with his arms. I will always think that Kyle Shanahan traded up to get Mac Jones, but the fan base revolted. He surpassed 1,000 yards receiving four times (in 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1986) and was named to the Pro Bowl 3 times. The Butkus Award winner made some of the flashiest plays in college football last year. [27], Collinsworth earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991. Im expecting new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen to attack much like Wink Martindale does in Baltimore. Despite all of his accomplishments on the football field, Cris Collinsworth still says that the biggest thrill he ever had in sports was winning that race. One scouting report from December with an indecipherable signature concluded Verser is "the No. He said he was a winner. ProFootballHistory.com. The Chargers' history of offensive line issues has been erased in just one offseason. After Al Michaels gave a brief introduction for the upcoming game, the camera would pan out slightly and allow Collinsworth to slide himself into the picture via his broadcasting chair, after which he provided insights of his own. Collinsworth, who was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1959, has won five Emmy Awards. Cris Collinsworth is an American Journalist and Sportscaster. The Florida tight end is a brilliant catcher of the ball and possesses a comical catch radius. Both of Cris's parents were educators; Donetta was a teacher, and Abe was a high-school teacher and coach who later became a principal and eventually the superintendent of schools for Brevard County. The team will take him out of that four-point stance and work on his explosion off the ball. 'Man, oh man!' Sunday Night Football announcers Al Michaels and Cris He will fight and hold and jam the entire game. Except he was fast. Jerry Rice supposedly ran a 4.6 40 which put him in the "slow" category. As much as I would love to see the Bengals trade back, it just never seems to happen in Cincinnati. 40 Times for Tall Receivers are a Poor Indicator of Speed Advertisement Cris Collinsworth 40 time What was Cris Collinsworth's 40 time? Collinsworth retired from professional football in 1989. Later in 1991 he earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnatis College of Law. Interior pressure is hard to generate, but Barmore does so consistently. But Riverfront Stadium wasn't exactly some kind of barnyard in that rookie season of 1981. During my entire career I watched the Bengals bring to camp these small wide receivers, all of whom ran 4.4 or less, but they were not football fast. In track, Collinsworth, who graduated from Astronaut in 1977, posted a state championship winning time of 10.0 seconds in the 100 as the 6-foot-5 Collinsworth out-leaned the competition at the tape. San Francisco already fields the most creative offense in the NFL, and Lance may add that final piece that proves too much to stop. He likes to grab a little jersey at the catch point, which may catch up to him. Infante's report on Collinsworth isn't in the notes, but his visit with Verser is: "Runs deep routes well. There is the 6-4 Collinsworth, stripped to gray shorts and gangling at maybe 180 pounds, Mike Brown recalls. Worse, he seemed to compound the issue with a set of poorly timed remarks to reporters about what he went through in the NFL interview process at the Combine, airing some comments that probably would have been best kept to himself. Fans enjoyed how he broke down plays during the game. Tough pick here. I hope he is there Only (Isaac) Curtis has better catching abilities (on the Bengals). 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. Marshall is still very young and will be 20 years old when drafted. The Dallas defense really struggled last year, and while Surtain is not the fastest corner in this class, he has played 662 snaps in press coverage over the last two years, by far the most of any corner in this class. He reads plays so quickly that zone-blocking offensive linemen often cant reach him. Billions of hours of game play were played with his voice in the background calling plays while gamers controlled their virtual teams. He has much to learn, but sometimes, that's what teams are looking for: guys who can improve. He is fast enough for any stunt or loop and wins quickly in one-on-one situations. And if not, the Raiders look foolish. United States. He's 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds and ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. This falls under the too good to pass up category for the end of the first round. Collinsworth is currently second on the Bengals' all-time list for receivers with 417 catches for 6,698 yards. Running Infante's choice routes where the receivers reacted to the defender and could do it because of the deep trust in Anderson's precision, Collinsworth became the Bengals' first 1,000-yard receiver in the first of four such seasons. He can also drop into coverage for new Jets head coach Robert Saleh. "It was a fortuitous pick. Three others finished with the exact same time but the 65 Collinsworth outleaned his competitors at the tape to take the title. 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. 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. Jay Feely. Here we go! INDIANAPOLIS _ Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin says he only compares Joe Burrow, his quarterback, to Joe Burrow, a Pro Bowler and two-time winner of the AFC North. Click to reveal One of my favorite traits of Bolton's is his ability as a read blitzer. He spent 8 years in the NFL, all of them with the Cincinnati Bengals. "I figured there was no way they were going to take another receiver," Collinsworth says. At Notre Dame, his son earned an MBA in Investments. His diving catch and collision against Missouri showed his toughness. [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. Any time you have a 240-pound edge player, there will be physical concerns. How much he can get away with is always a factor in his success. Collinsworth hadn't done the slide earlier in the year, but he. NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth explains why Jachai Polite will be 'big Retweets. The upside with Parsons is that he may end up an even better edge player than a linebacker and he is a good linebacker. 1 on the Bengals list, Collinsworth No. Jerry will be tempted to go for Caleb Farley, the best athlete in this cornerback class, but the injury risk associated with the Virginia Tech corner is just too great. He says he felt all the emotions as he watched the draft in his Gainesville apartment with his parents. [24] He joined the NBC pregame show in 1996.[24]. He did get bulled into the QB at times, though. Anthony Cris Collinsworth[1] (born January 27, 1959) is an American sports broadcaster and former professional football player. You are right on the money about his route running ability. And Lindy was right. He began his broadcasting career as a sports radio talk show host for WLW in Cincinnati and later became a reporter for HBOs Inside the NFL in 1989. Like his father, Joe Horn, he will battle all day. Who is Cris Collinsworth? ginger@flasportshof.org, Mailing Address: He's not nearly as physical as Virginia Tech's Christian Darrisaw, but Slater is an incredible pass protector. "If he somehow slips to the second round, he is going to be a big-time steal.". Fans have been ripping Collinsworth for his description of the play. 2023 Maverick Multimedia, Inc. 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Nobody hates being predictable more than Jerry Jones, but Surtain is the safe choice for Dallas. "If I walk in here again," said Infante after they picked Collinsworth, "I'm dreaming. The start is not relevant. Who could? Home Astronaut Highs Cris Collinsworth; Winner Of Multiple Emmy Awards, NFL Pro Bowler, By SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME // January 16, 2017. He is by far the most skilled pass rusher of the players left on the board. 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. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah could play slot corner or inside linebacker. It might have come up (during the draft), but if it did, I don't remember. The official time for his 40-yard dash at Pro Day was 5.04 seconds, the kind of number that has most draft analysts projecting Polite to fall well out of the first-round projection range they had . A Superstars special that was held during the N.F.L. This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 07:02. 42.2K. More of PFF's 2021 NFL Draft tools here: "Uncle Willie was 40 years older than us," he says . Most speed receivers dont block or take hits on slants or balls thrown over the middle, but Brown does both. "Cris Collinsworth gushed over Mahomes throwing a ball into the dirt, and yet criticized Lawrence for overthrowing a. After college, Collinsworth was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2nd round of the 1981 NFL Draft. George, 60, is the eldest of the eight McTear kidsolder than Houston by one yearand was a champion high school sprinter himself. Cris Collinsworth: Picture of productivity. He is currently serving as a sportscaster at NBC, Showtime, and the NFL Network since 2009. Collinsworth book-ended his career in the Super Bowl with his 107 yards leading all receivers in Super Bowl XVI and his last career catch converting a third-and-eight on the drive the Bengals. Cris Collinsworth | American Football Wiki | Fandom "I'm going to guess that Lindy Infante made it up," Collinsworth says of the tale. 10, his agent went to great lengths to assure him that Cincinnati wasn't the place for him. He finished his eight-season career with 417 receptions for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns in 107 games. 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. 2,579. Checkdowns will become his best friend in the new 17-game season. Dan Quinn takes over as the defensive coordinator and needs a Richard Sherman to run this defense. He also was part of NBCs broadcast team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Three-time Pro Bowl Selection. In 2009, Collinsworth filled the color-commentator role vacated by John Madden on NBC's Sunday Night Football, with Al Michaels.