As we wait to see whether a team decides to take a chance on LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that Collins and his camp are formulating a plan to salvage his value. According to Schefter (Twitter link), if Collins isn’t selected tonight, he’ll decline to sign a contract and will resubmit his name next year for the 2016 draft.
If Collins were to be selected on Saturday in the sixth round, for instance, the idea is that he wouldn’t sign his rookie contract with that team. Based on my reading on the CBA, Collins would then have the opportunity to be drafted in 2016 by any team except the club that drafted him in 2015.
It’s not clear yet if Collins and his reps will go through with this plan, or if it’s an effort to create leverage, but it makes some sense if the offensive lineman’s camp is confident he’ll be cleared in the ongoing police investigation in Baton Rouge. Collins is currently scheduled to speak to police in Louisiana on Monday.
If teams were to head into next year’s draft confident in Collins’ character, it could restore his value, making him an early pick and landing him a larger contract. Still, it would be a risky play to sit out an entire season, particularly since concerns about his character could persist throughout the year.