Later in 1991 he earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnatis College of Law. Jaylen Hurts gets an intimidator outside. However, as a student at the University of Florida he switched to wide receiver and made the College Football All-America Team as a senior. MidFlorida Credit Union Event Center Performance & security by Cloudflare. That is why CC was a Pro Bowler. When he sees something, he fires fast and wants to blow plays up. stars, six of whom had participated in previous Superstars finals. He did get bulled into the QB at times, though. A series of head injuries forced him to retire from football early in his college career, but after his return, nobody was better rushing the quarterback in the second half of the 2020 season. He was smart . How much he can get away with is always a factor in his success. Hes won a total of 16 Emmy Awards. In Super Bowl XVI, Collinsworth was the game's leading receiver with five receptions for 107 yards,[22] but committed a costly second quarter fumble when he was hit by San Francisco defensive back Eric Wright. 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. 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. Geoff Hobson. "This is a guy who can rush the passer from a lot of different positions," Collinsworth said on a video he tweeted after watching Polite's game film. Some 30 years before Rutgers wide receiver Mohamed Sanu got pranked by a caller that said the Bengals were picking him in the first round before they really draftedhim in the third, Collinsworth got a phony call that said the New York media was poised to talk to him. He had a short stride and could make a 90 degree cut, at full speed, without slowing down, or chopping his feet. "It worked out," said the kid who was all arms, legs and brains, "just fine and dandy.". It was a challenge to play Cover 0 versus Florida because you couldnt leave Toney one on one with anybody. February 13, 2023 Space Coast Daily News Brevard Countys Best Newspaper, WATCH! SUPER BOWL,. Jan 1, 2023 . [10][8] Though Florida's offense did not improve enough to save the jobs of Dickey or his coaching staff, Collinsworth flourished in his new role. Collinsworth played wide receiver on a competitive Cincinnati Bengals team that made the Super Bowl twice during his eight-year career. Who could? [24] He also continued his work on Inside the NFL when it debuted on its new home on Showtime.[24]. New Career In 107 regular-season games. He has a habit of jump cradle catching, but he can extend if it is required. The 40 yard dash is all about the start and the first 10 yards. Better runner than our running backs.". (Complete Story), What Happened To Akili Smith? ProFootballHistory.com. Please join us over on PFFs YouTube channel before, during and after the draft for a complete analysis of every pick. One of his runs helped us get into the Super Bowl.". It's a rare sight to see a quarterback escape Ojulari in space. I hope he is there Only (Isaac) Curtis has better catching abilities (on the Bengals). At 6-foot-5 and 257 pounds, Oweh ran a remarkable 4.3-second 40-yard dash. GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida rush end Jachai Polite became one of the most talked about names coming out of the NFL Combine last month. 37, the Bengals took the kid with the watch. Waddle likely would have been a top-10 pick but for his injury. At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, Barmore is surprisingly nimble. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that from December on Verser was No. "He's a very smart individual," the papers quoted Infante as he explained how he was attracted to Collinsworth by his height and productivity in Florida's pro-style offense. Ohio State put a tight end outside him and just beat him up. "He has some wayward motion with his arms. 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. His tackling is not flashy, but he breaks down and gets guys on the ground. At 6ft 5in (1.96m) in height, Collinsworth often created mismatches against much smaller cornerbacks. 'Is this BS?' 556. 39 the Vikings picked McDole, one of the receivers whom had been unfavorably compared to Collinsworth and whose career consisted of three catches. Knows how to set up a DB to go by Could be a big play guy could start for us. Cris Collinsworth American football player, wide receiver, sports broadcaster. 100 Yard Dash: 10.18: 1982 Preliminary 4 . Bateman is a free-flowing route runner who doesnt look overly fast or quick on tape. [5][6] Cris was successful in multiple sports for the Astronaut War Eagles, and during his senior year in 1976, he won the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 3A 100-yard-dash state championship and was named a high-school All-American quarterback. He then became a reporter for HBO's (now Showtime's) Inside the NFL in 1989. 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. Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary went with the next pick. He isnt a power player or a finesse player, but he lands somewhere dependably in between. Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981-1988), all with the Cincinnati Bengals. "Memories have been made to conform with what you wish you had done or said," Brown says. ", "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. His diving catch and collision against Missouri showed his toughness. When the call didn't come at No. "I don't know where that one came from," Brown says of the photo story. Mar 21, 2022. Can't you see this through the haze of the Freezer Bowl at the end of that rookie year? 2,579. [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. Born in 1959, Anthony Cris Collinsworth played quarterback and ran sprints at Astronaut High School in Titusville, becoming a Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A 100-yard-dash state champion in 1976. The Chargers' history of offensive line issues has been erased in just one offseason. Good post pattern runner because he can really run once under way Good player, good target, good deep speed.". "I don't remember the workout. He had a famous 99 yard touchdown pass when he was playing for his college squad, the Florida Gators. Collinsworth was moved to wide receiver, where his new position coach was former Gator quarterback Steve Spurrier in his first year as a coach. 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 initially pegged him at. NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth explains why Jachai Polite will be 'big-time steal' if taken in Round 2 . This is a big swing for the fences. In addition to his height advantage, he was a legitimate deep threat due to his speed. His hard step up the field outside the guard and then loop inside to smash an unsuspecting center makes for great theatre. The Gators even played him at running back against LSU to try to isolate him, and the Tigers still doubled him. "I'm not here to condemn anyone. With a wide receiver class filled with slot guys, Terrace Marshall Jr. sticks out. Verser one, Collinsworth two. With the 10th pick, the Bengals took David Verser, a 6-1, 200-pound tornado out of Kansas widely regarded as the best wide receiver available. [2] He is also the majority owner of Pro Football Focus. If Infante was livid that he didn't get Collinsworth first, he didn't let the media know it. 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. 42.2K. The family was full of speed and quick runners. Abe, known as "Lincoln" in high school, was one of the top scorers in Kentucky high-school basketball history, and played for the Kentucky Wildcats "Fiddling Five" who won the 1958 national championship. 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. 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. Relentless effort will always work for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. His confidence continued to grow throughout the 2020 season, and he was simply fantastic in the biggest moments. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Can he play the same when he isnt perfectly protected like at BYU? This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 07:02. He also has a way of gaining separation early in the route and then holding it with his size and strength. [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. With Justin Jefferson headed to the NFL in 2020, Marshall took over the slot this year in LSU's offense. 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. 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. Good quickness on cuts. Smith's lack of size will create doubt until you watch him play. He likes to grab a little jersey at the catch point, which may catch up to him. But his best two sports were clearly football and track and field. ", 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. Again, position versatility gives Vera-Tucker the nod here. Or does that mean he knows that in that first round everyone is going to miss out on one of the toughest and most productive wide receivers in the 1980s NFL? His daughter received her degree in Psychology from Harvard. They don't get it out of the guy for whatever reason.". Collinsworth is currently second on the Bengals' all-time list for receivers with 417 catches for 6,698 yards. After college, Collinsworth was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2nd round of the 1981 NFL Draft. He was just a blur against Notre Dame in Alabama's semifinal contest. 5, New England Patriots trade up for Justin Fields By Cris Collinsworth Apr 29, 2021 Welcome to PFF draft week! His was very much a thinking offense that really relied on the receivers being able to basically play quarterback. In 2009, Collinsworth filled the color-commentator role vacated by John Madden on NBC's Sunday Night Football, with Al Michaels. You can tell he is smart and has a plan on each and every snap. Atlanta is in cap hell and would love to trade for additional picks to rebuild this team with lower-priced rookies. Horn could easily be the best corner in this class when we look back in five years. He was a quick runner, at a 4.4 second 40 yard dash speed, he was a true threat to opponents. "It's not like it is today," Collinsworth says. His double-moves are frightening, given his speed, and few receivers run them more often. 2. There is no doubt about the player only the position. No one projected that in their reports. Sometimes the team is at fault. [8] Though he was recruited as a run-first quarterback for the Gators' option offense, Collinsworth threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Gaffney against the Rice Owls in his first collegiate attempt, a toss which remains tied for the longest touchdown pass in NCAA history. Cris spent his entire NFL career with the Bengals. Enjoy watching a lot of his highlights this year. [24], In 2006, Collinsworth could be seen on three networks during football season. Collinsworth played in 107 games, catching 417 passes for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns. Penn State uses so many zone-coverage drops that it is hard to evaluate his coverage skills, but a prospect with his level of athleticism should be able to do anything. He will fight and hold and jam the entire game. Live picks, grades and reaction to the 2023 NFL Draft. It was announced on April 16, 2009 that Collinsworth would replace John Madden in NBCs Sunday Night Football, leaving the NFL Network. The backs that are trying to chip him can't really get a clean hit on him.". He remained with the Bengals until the 1988 season, catching three passes for 40 yards in Super Bowl XXIII, the final game of his career. They have not been close to either since Muoz retired, so they hope Sewell is their next HOF tackle and that Joe Burrow can survive long enough to go to the ceremony. In 1990, he began what has become a successful broadcasting career as a part of the NBC networks NFL broadcasts. [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. 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. Offensive linemen are just not sure which part of Rousseau's body to aim for. This draft had become more than a passing fancy with Collinsworth still there at No. Despite weighing only 177 pounds, he shows power when running over potential tacklers. "My only memory of how Cris was built is at the weigh-in at Tampa, which is where the combine was then. 10, his agent went to great lengths to assure him that Cincinnati wasn't the place for him. Plus, he has shown that he can displace people as a run-blocker including Alabama's defensive line. 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. In his first game, Collinsworth tied a collegiate record with a 99-yard scoring pass to Derrick Gaffney. "It is the fact that when you got the ball to David Verser, he was hell on wheels. Pete Brown, the Bengals director of player personnel circled both the first and second round for Collinsworth. 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. Gender: "If he somehow slips to the second round, he is going to be a big-time steal.". The Ravens can rush anybody on the field from any position. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com. He is fast enough for any stunt or loop and wins quickly in one-on-one situations. von Mann sensed the room even before Infante went on his trips: "This could be the guy Lindy Infante wants! ginger@flasportshof.org, Mailing Address: Collinsworth finished his collegiate career by being named the MVP of the 1980 Tangerine Bowl. 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. Any time you have a 240-pound edge player, there will be physical concerns. After running a 5.0 40-yard dash, some are questioning how far Polite could now be . Enjoy Space Coast Daily, Brevard Countys Best and Most Read Magazine, HOT OFF THE PRESS! It has taken me 52 years to say what I really have wanted to say about this, so I will let the venom slowly seep out. Your email address will not be published. He will fight to get in the action as a tackler, but his big shots can also lead to missed tackles. [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. By the time he was 8, Chris became a regular at the Gators' annual summer football camps. It might have come up (during the draft), but if it did, I don't remember. Jones also dealt with plenty of pressure from SEC defenses, as Alabamas protection wasnt always perfect. 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. The upside with Parsons is that he may end up an even better edge player than a linebacker and he is a good linebacker. Billions of hours of game play were played with his voice in the background calling plays while gamers controlled their virtual teams. Cris Collinsworth Welcomes The "Their Time," Bengals To The Super Bowl 40 Years Later. He spent three years on the networks No. Like his father, Joe Horn, he will battle all day. This pick has nothing to do with skills; Farley checks that box despite being new to the position. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Emmy Award Winner. 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. Not Infante. Collinsworth served as a correspondent for NBC Sports coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Austin was also a football player and team captain for Notre Dame. That is my only doubt. Quote Tweets. Pro Bowl & Super Bowl I loved watching his creative route running, which features subtle pauses and an ability to bounce off defenders to gain position. "Lindy was from Florida. He currently takes a lot of short, choppy steps that put little pressure on the tackle. [15] He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1991, and as part of a recognition of 100 years of Florida football in 2006, The Gainesville Sun recognized him as the No. Jerry Rice supposedly ran a 4.6 40 which put him in the "slow" category. 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. He joined NBC for the first time in 1990, calling both NFL and college football games, before moving to Fox in the late 1990s after NBC lost their NFL broadcast rights to CBS. Who is Cris Collinsworth? 7. "He reminds me of a shorter but faster Pat McInally," Pete Brown wrote. The Bears would love to sizzle in this draft, but only solid picks remain. . [4], After his retirement as an NFL player, Collinsworth began a broadcasting career as a sports radio talk show host on Cincinnati station WLW. His accuracy, touch, poise, anticipation, ability to quickly read defenses and distribute the ball are all unmatched in the class. He surpassed 1,000 yards receiving four times (in 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1986) and was named to the Pro Bowl 3 times. 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. He was named a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection in 1978, 1979 and 1980, and was named both a first-team All-American and a first-team Academic All-America in 1980. Cris Collinsworth is an American Journalist and Sportscaster. He has much to learn, but sometimes, that's what teams are looking for: guys who can improve. He played college football at the University of Florida, where he was recognized as an All-American.