the ball-hawking linebacker who turned into a defensive spark plug
Collin Ellis built his reputation at Northwestern as a high-IQ, playmaking linebacker with true splash-play upside; in 2013, he made national waves with two interception returns for touchdowns in one game and was named FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week. He was praised for toughness, versatility, and instinctive range, and NFL.com noted his move to middle linebacker fit his skill set. The big question for any team: you’re getting a defender who can diagnose fast and change a game, but his career was also shaped by concussion issues that ultimately forced him to retire.
