Gators signee Kelby Collins climbs over 80 spots in final On300 rankings
The final batch of On300 rankings were released on Tuesday, and as expected, several Gators signees saw their stock rise nationally. One of them was defensive lineman Kelby Collins.
Collins, who was named MVP of Team Speed at the Under Armour All-American Game, is now tabbed as the 50th-ranked prospect regardless of position. He previously checked in at No. 133, so that is a jump of 83 spots.
Gators Online was in Orlando all week for Under Armour practices and saw Collins dominate that setting as well, showcasing a mixture of finesse and versatility that should allow him to make an impact as a true freshman at Florida. His latest bump in the rankings is certainly well deserved.
“Collins got better over the course of the week in Orlando. He had a very strong showing in 1-on-1’s on Day Three, feasting on the Team Speed offensive line. Collins backed that up with a stellar performance in Tuesday’s game, earning Defensive MVP honors from the broadcast.
“The Gardendale (Ala.) High product showed the ability to create disruption as a pass rusher, both on the interior and off the edge. His quickness and length were on the high-end among defensive linemen at Under Armour. When Collins is locked in, he’s shown dominant tendencies.” — On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power
Why the Gators won out for Kelby Collins
“Just the pitch to me and how loyal they were since my official visit. They showed a lot of love and made me their No. 1 recruiter,” Collins said last month.
“I helped get some of these guys and it interested me with some of they stuff they do at the program early on, even before I signed. I think that spoke volumes and is what kept me committed.”
Collins, 6-foot-4, 270 pounds, is one of the six defensive linemen set to join the Gators’ program. That group features a pair of transfers in Caleb Banks (Louisville) and CamRon Jackson (Memphis), as well several All-Americans in Collins, Will Norman and Kamran James.
Reinforcements are on the way, Florida fans, as Collins and others are itching to rewrite the script.
“My mindset is I’m ready to come take spots. I’m coming in ready to work hard. The first day on campus, I’m going to get with my d-line and we are going to work out, do some drills and get to learn each other’s playstyles and really start that connection.”
Stay tuned to Gators Online.
