Razorbacks Williams, Collins lead late NFL Draft selections

Arkansas running back Alex Collins runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas running back Alex Collins runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Former Arkansas tailbacks Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, who rushed for 4,216 rushing yards in the same backfield for two years, were both taken in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

The tailback tandem led a group of four Razorbacks picked on the third and final day of the draft in Chicago, with quarterback Brandon Allen and offensive guard Sebastian Tretola also being selected. All-America tight end Hunter Henry was Arkansas' first pick at No. 35 overall to San Diego on Friday.

Arkansas' five draft picks tied with eight other schools, including fellow SEC programs Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss, for eighth in the country behind Ohio State, which had 12 picks. Alabama and Florida led the SEC and were tied for fourth nationally with seven draft picks each.

On Saturday, Williams went first, taken by the Buffalo Bills with the 18th pick of the fifth round, No. 156 overall. The Allen, Texas, native, who rushed for 1,190 yards in 2014 before missing all of last year with a torn ligament in his left foot, was the 12th running back taken.

Collins, whose 1,577 rushing yards in 2015 was the third-highest in school history, went 15 picks later, at No. 171, to the Seattle Seahawks.

Tretola was selection No. 193, the 18th pick of the sixth round, by the Tennessee Titans. The Jacksonville Jaguars took Allen with pick No. 201 in the sixth round.

Arkansas' five drafted players equalled the number the Razorbacks had taken in last year's draft as the most since six former players were drafted in 2008.

Henry, Collins and offensive lineman Denver Kirkland all declared early for the draft after their junior seasons. Kirkland was one of 30 of the 107 players who declared early who went undrafted.

Kirkland is the first early declarer under Coach Bret Bielema to go undrafted since running back P.J. Hill at Wisconsin in 2009.

Kirkland announced on Twitter later Saturday that he had come to terms with the Oakland Raiders soon after the draft ended. Defensive lineman Mitchell Loewen signed a free agent deal with the New Orleans Saints, and safety Rohan Gaines was headed to the Los Angeles Rams.

Draft analysts were mixed on whether Collins or Williams would be the first Arkansas tailback off the board.

Williams entered 2015 as a preseason second-team All-SEC pick before being injured in the first scrimmage of fall.

"I feel like I'm a back that can do anything, a three-down back that can run the ball inside and out on first and second down and can pick up pass protections and catch the ball on third down," Williams said on a conference call with Buffalo media.

Williams is the ninth Arkansas player to be drafted by the Bills, including quarterback Joe Ferguson, and most recently tight end Chris Gragg, who is still on the roster.

First-year Arkansas offensive line coach Kurt Anderson, who was on the Bills' staff the last three seasons, sent a Twitter post to Williams that read, "You're going to love that RB room and running behind that OL!"

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said of Williams, "He's a big running back with the ability to straight-line it and run through tackles. He's got really impressive short-area quickness with his feet for being 220 pounds."

Williams joins a backfield in Buffalo that includes LeSean McCoy, Karlos Williams, Mike Gillislee and James Wilder.

Todd McShay of ESPN said he was a little surprised Williams was chosen before Collins, who broke Bill Burnett's single-season rushing touchdowns record with 20 last season.

Collins joins a Seahawks backfield with Thomas Rawls, third-round pick C.J. Prosise of Notre Dame, and former Texas A&M back Christine Michael.

Collins gained notoriety for improving his footwork by practicing Irish dancing this winter. Seattle area scout Aaron Hineline called him a violent runner.

"He's got really nice feet, agility, quickness, burst, the strength to break tackles," Hineline said. "He's really physical and it's awesome. ... To add a guy with his talent that far down the draft is awesome."

Collins said he's eager to get to camp with the Seahawks.

"I'm looking forward to meeting the players," he said in a Q & A session with the Seahawks' website. " I'm trying to get up under somebody's wings, somebody that can bring me along, catch me up. I want to learn, so I want to meet all the veterans and get a feel for them."

Pro Football Focus wrote on Twitter that Collins "avoided being tackled on first contact on 34.7 percent of his carries, the 6th-best rate in the class."

Collins joined Herschel Walker and Darren McFadden as the only running backs in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons.

"He's got the skills to project and develop into a No. 1 running back," McShay said. "He's quick and he's a sudden, instinctive runner. His eyes match up with the quickness of his feet. ... He's going to sense and feel a crease and he's able to quickly adjust with that lateral agility."

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks said he didn't believe Collins would be available in the sixth round.

"He's going to compete, and maybe you have a dual backfield down the road with Alex Collins as your main, heavy hitter and C.J. Prosise being the complementary player."

Tretola was the 13th offensive guard taken in the draft.

The 6-4, 320-pounder was at his entertaining best on a conference call with Titans reporters.

"I am mean. I am nasty. I'm trying -- and I don't want this to sound bad -- but I'm trying to make you not want to play me anymore," Tretola said.

Asked about fellow Titans draft pick Jack Conklin, a first-round choice from Michigan State, Tretola replied, "He's' the same kind of guy. He's rough, tough and he's going to get after you. Obviously this is what the organization wants and they did a hell of a job getting it."

Tretola also said he expected to be picked "a lot sooner than this" and that his fall "just adds to the chip on my shoulder."

Allen was the 13th quarterback taken, and he'll be the No. 3 quarterback for the Jaguars behind starter Blake Bortles and nine-year pro Chad Henne. The three-year starter passed for 3,440 yards and 30 touchdowns this season and had a school-record 64 in his career.

Allen spoke to Jacksonville owner Shahid Khan, General Manager David Caldwell and Coach Gus Bradley on the phone prior to his selection, with Caldwell telling him "You're going to be a Jag in about two minutes."

Bradley and the Jaguars staff worked with Allen on the South team at the Senior Bowl in January.

"We wanted to continue to coach you," Bradley told Allen. "We didn't have enough of you at the Senior Bowl, man. Our staff is fired up."

Jacksonville offensive coordinator Greg Olson said the Jaguars believe Allen can develop into the No. 2 quarterback there, and possibly the starter.

"We think he's got a great skill set, the right demeanor and the right mindset, with everything we saw at the Senior Bowl," Olson said on the Jags' in-house website. "We just thought to where he fell in the sixth round he was a great value."

Paul Roell, the Jaguars' assistant director of college scouting, pointed out the positives of Allen being the son of a coach in Bobby Allen and having learned three different offenses at Arkansas.

"He's a very intelligent, very smart player who will pick things up real quickly," Roell said. "He's a very accurate passer. He has a good arm. Not a great arm, but a good arm. He can make all the throws. Tough kid who is willing to stand in the pocket. He can look down the gun barrel."

Sports on 05/01/2016

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