Patriots Draft DE/LB Jamie Collins With 52nd Overall Pick
BOSTON (CBS) - The New England Patriots selected Southern Mississippi pass-rusher Jamie Collins with the 52nd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
The linebacker/defensive end, who stands at 6-4, 250 pounds, recorded 10 sacks in 2012 and 20.5 over his four-year career at Southern Mississippi. He began his career as a defensive back, and was seen as one of the better cover-linebackers in the draft.
The Golden Eagles went 0-12 in 2012, but Collins had a solid season on the field. He recorded 92 tackles for the year, including 20 for a loss, and forced four fumbles.
"It's motivation and adversity – everybody has to deal with adversity," Collins said of what drove him during a winless season. "It's not just about losing every game and not being able to play hard. I felt like I had to play hard every game just because we were losing. I felt like it was going to draw a lot of attention to me to see how I played despite the fact that we were 0-12."
More: Collins' Draft Profile On CBSSports.com
It's unclear if Collins will be able to make an immediate impact, but he could give the Patriots a situational pass-rusher to play alongside Chandler Jones or Rob Ninkovich.
