Zaven Collins

NoteCARDS:

• Selected by the Cardinals in the first round (16th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Tulsa. Was the second LB taken in the '21 draft (Micah Parsons, 12th to Cowboys) and the fourth defender selected.
• There have now been three Tulsa players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft – and two have been drafted by the Cardinals. Collins and B Glenn Dobbs (3rd overall in 1943) join OL Steve August (taken 14th overall by Seattle in 1977) as the only Golden Hurricanes ever taken in the first round.
• At 6-4 and 260 pounds, ran a 4.67 40-yard dash at his Pro Day in April of 2021.
• As a junior in 2020, was the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Lombardi Award; named the CFB on FOX Defensive Player of the Year and finished as the runner-up for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker.
• Raised by a single mother, Haley, who had him at 21 years old and dropped out of college. She took numerous jobs as Zaven grew up, while also taking in a nephew, Peyton, that she also raised. She eventually got her college degree but money was tight and they couldn't afford to send Zaven to college. Following his junior year at Hominy, Haley drove Collins to 12 football camps across the region looking to get him a scholarship, taking money out of her 401K to pay for him to attend the camps. His lone Division I scholarship offer came from Tulsa at the final camp he attended.

NoteCARDS:

• Selected by the Cardinals in the first round (16th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Tulsa. Was the second LB taken in the '21 draft (Micah Parsons, 12th to Cowboys) and the fourth defender selected.
• There have now been three Tulsa players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft – and two have been drafted by the Cardinals. Collins and B Glenn Dobbs (3rd overall in 1943) join OL Steve August (taken 14th overall by Seattle in 1977) as the only Golden Hurricanes ever taken in the first round.
• At 6-4 and 260 pounds, ran a 4.67 40-yard dash at his Pro Day in April of 2021.
• As a junior in 2020, was the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Lombardi Award; named the CFB on FOX Defensive Player of the Year and finished as the runner-up for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker.
• Raised by a single mother, Haley, who had him at 21 years old and dropped out of college. She took numerous jobs as Zaven grew up, while also taking in a nephew, Peyton, that she also raised. She eventually got her college degree but money was tight and they couldn't afford to send Zaven to college. Following his junior year at Hominy, Haley drove Collins to 12 football camps across the region looking to get him a scholarship, taking money out of her 401K to pay for him to attend the camps. His lone Division I scholarship offer came from Tulsa at the final camp he attended.

College Career:

A three-year letter-winner and three-year starter at Tulsa, Collins was the 2020 National Defensive Player of the Year after winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award ... played in 32 career games (30 starts) and had 236 career tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, eight passes defensed, 5 INTs (2 returned for TDs), three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries ... had eight games with double-digit tackles ... also had two career blocked kicks (FG, PAT).

2020: Started all eight games in a shortened season and was named the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Lombardi Award ... named the CFB on FOX Defensive Player of the Year and finished as the runner-up for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker ... first-team All-American selection by the Associated Press, FWAA, AFCA, The Sporting News, Walter Camp Foundation, USA Today, CBS Sports, Pro Football Focus, The Athletic and Phil Steele Magazine ... named the unanimous AAC Defensive Player of the Year, as well as earning unanimous first-team all-AAC honors ... was named National Defensive Player of the Week three times and the AAC Defensive Player of the Week four times ... totaled 54 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 4 INTs for 152 return yards and two TDs, two passes defensed, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a safety ... ranked second in the nation in INT return yards behind only Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes (183), and was one of just five players in the nation that recorded multiple INT return TDs ... had a career-high 15 tackles and the game-winning 96-yard INT return TD in overtime vs. Tulane (11/19) ... totaled six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and the game-ending INT against #19 SMU (11/14), earning the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week award and the AAC Defensive Player of the Week award ... named the Bednarik National Player of the Week in the opener at #11 OSU (9/19), when he had had six tackles, four tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.

2019: Started all 12 games and earned second-team all-conference honors and totaling a career-high 97 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three passes defensed, a fumble recovery and a blocked PAT ... opened the season with eight tackles and a tackle for loss @ Michigan State (8/30) ... totaled a season-high 13 tackles vs. Navy (10/12).

2018: Played in all 12 games and started at linebacker the final 10 contests, beginning a streak of 30 consecutive starts to end his Tulsa career ... named to the (FWAA) and USA Today Freshman All- America teams after recording 85 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three QB hurries, three passes defensed, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an INT and a blocked FG ... had five games with double- digit tackles ... in his 10 starts, compiled 79 tackles ... started his first career game against Arkansas State and had 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and a QB hurry ... had his first career INT @ Houston (10/4).

2017: Redshirted as a true freshman.

Personal:

Attended Hominy (OK) High School where he played quarterback, linebacker and safety and was the also the school's valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA ... a four-year starter on both offense and defense, he led Hominy to the Class A state title as a senior ... posted a 41-12 record in his four seasons, including a 14-0 mark as a senior ... put up 4,084 rushing yards and 54 TDs, and passed for another 3,056 yards and 32 TDs as a QB during his career ... two-time all-district selection ... as a senior in 2016, earned first-team All-State honors as a DB and was ranked #24 on The Oklahoman's Super 30 ... named to the OCA Class A East all-star team ... rushed for 1,520 yards and 27 TDs and completed 83-of-143 passes for 1,600 yards and 23 TDs ... also totaled 91 tackles, three INTs and a fumble recovery on defense in leading the team to a state title ... rushed 204 times for 1,594 yards and 25 TDs as a junior QB, while completing 54-of-124 passes for 826 yards and nine TDs ... collected 69 tackles and four INTs ... also played football, baseball, basketball and also participated in the shot-put and relays in track and field at Hominy ... before every game, dating back to high school, Collins receives a good luck text from his mom, Haley; every text ends the same: "Stay your path" ... as a five-year old, inspired by the 2004 Summer Olympics, took up gymnastics, competing in the floor routine, high-bars and still rings ... majored in Exercise and Sports Science/Pre-Med.