As recruiting trips go, this was fairly shrewd. The
NFL says teams can't officially visit
La'el Collins in Baton Rouge until
Louisiana State exams finish Saturday (never mind he's not in classes there anymore - it's the NFL acting as the NCAA). So the
Dolphins sent in a contingent of former LSU players (Jarvis Landry,
Kelvin Sheppard and Anthony Johnson) as well as the team's biggest personality in center
Mike Pouncey.
Did it break the letter of the law? No. The spirit? Well, of course it did.
But this story might have a ways to go before La'el
Collins will sign. If teams weren't willing to expend a draft choice on him for fear he'd be incriminated in the murder of his former girlfriend, who was pregnant, they'll surely have to wait until he is officially exonerated of the crime. (Yes, it's uncomfortable to mix such a horrific crime with a football signing, but there's no way around it in this story.)
This road trip by Dolphins players got thing started in the right way. And let's face it: That's a livelier bunch than sending in
Joe Philbin anyhow. They'd make a good pitch of what it's like to play for the Dolphins and why impact he could have with the team.
Will it matter? Who knows? Collins gets to go anywhere he wants, all teams can pay the same ($1.58 million and as much as a $50,000 signing bonus) and so he'll go where he feels the best fit. In that regard, this players' visit was smart.
The Dolphins could use Collins. He would solidify the offensive line. It would have four, first-round talents with tackles
Branden Albert and Ju'Wuan James and Pouncey and Collins. Considering the
Patriots and
Jets just added more quality defensive tackles, you can't stress the need enough.
The Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms with 16 undrafted rookie free agents, who are expected to participate in this weekend's rookie minicamp.
There's no rush for Collins now. He can sit back, meet with teams and take his time. Virtually every team will be interested in him. The three NFL states with no state income tax - Florida, Tennessee and Texas - might have an advantage. We'll see.
