Elijah Collins

Last updated

Elijah Collins
No. 35 – Ottawa Redblacks
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (2000-08-01) August 1, 2000 (age 25)
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school: University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy (Detroit, Michigan)
College: Michigan State (2018–2022)
Oklahoma State (2023)
NFL draft: 2024: undrafted
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
CFL status:American
Career highlights and awards
Stats at CFL.ca

Elijah Collins (born August 1, 2000) is an American professional football running back for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Contents

Early life and high school

Collins attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. As a junior he totaled 19 touchdowns, rushing for 721 yards and hauling in 19 receptions for 306 yards. [1] Coming out of high school, Collins was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Michigan State Spartans. [2]

College career

Michigan State

As a freshman in 2018, Collins played in three games, rushing twice for eight yards, and took a redshirt. [3] In the 2019 season opener, he rushed eight times for 17 yards in a win over Tulsa. [4] In week 2, Collins got his first career start where he rushed 17 times for 192 yards in a win over Western Michigan. [5] He finished the 2019 season rushing 222 times for 988 yards and five touchdowns. [6] Coming off his strong season in 2019, Collins's role heavily decreased in 2020 with just 41 carries for 90 yards. [7] In 2021, he missed five games due to an injury and rushed just 18 times for 102 yards. [8] In week 5 of the 2022 season, Collins rushed for a team-high 36 yards and a touchdown versus Maryland. [9] He finished the 2022 season rushing for 318 yards and six touchdowns on 70 carries, while also hauling in 14 receptions for 93 yards. [10] After the season, Collins entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal. [10]

Oklahoma State

Collins transferred to play for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. [11] In his lone season with the Cowboys he rushed just 30 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns. [12]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 0 in
(1.83 m)		212 lb
(96 kg)		31+3⁄8 in
(0.80 m)		9+7⁄8 in
(0.25 m)		4.54 s1.62 s2.66 s4.25 s7.10 s38 in
(0.97 m)		10 ft 5 in
(3.18 m)		16 reps
All values from Pro Day [13]

After not being selected in the 2024 NFL draft, Collins signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent. [14] He was waived by the Bengals during final roster cuts on August 27, 2024. [15]

Ottawa Redblacks

On May 9, 2025, it was announced that Collins had signed with the Ottawa Redblacks. [16] At the end of training camp, he was placed on the team's practice roster on May 31, 2025. [17]

References

  1. ↑ Garcia, Tony (July 11, 2017). "Michigan State target Elijah Collins grew freaky fast, was recruited just as quickly". MLive.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  2. ↑ Nelsen, Chris (September 29, 2017). "Michigan State recruiting: U-D Jesuit's Elijah Collins '100% committed'". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  3. ↑ Wenzel, Matt (September 8, 2019). "Michigan State freshman RB Elijah Collins flirts with program history in breakout performance". MLive.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  4. ↑ Charboneau, Matt (September 10, 2019). "Former U-D Jesuit standout Elijah Collins cements role as Michigan State's go-to back". The Detroit News. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  5. ↑ Solari, Chris (September 8, 2019). "Michigan State football may have found a big-play weapon in Elijah Collins". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  6. ↑ McVeigh, Griffin (January 4, 2023). "Michigan State running back Elijah Collins enters NCAA transfer portal". On3.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  7. ↑ Wenzel, Matt (November 17, 2022). "Michigan State's Elijah Collins has eligibility left, undecided on future". MLive.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  8. ↑ Wenzel, Matt (October 6, 2022). "Elijah Collins remained loyal to Michigan State and is earning more opportunities". MLive.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  9. ↑ Black, Ryan (December 5, 2022). "When many expected him to leave, Elijah Collins stuck it out at Michigan State. Now his persistence is paying off". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Solari, Chris (January 4, 2023). "Michigan State football RB Elijah Collins enters transfer portal after 5 years". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  11. ↑ Wright, Scott (May 28, 2023). "How is Michigan State transfer RB Elijah Collins blending in with Oklahoma State football?". The Oklahoman. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  12. ↑ Gregory, Dekota (April 28, 2024). "Former Oklahoma State Running Back Elijah Collins Signs with Bengals as Undrafted Free Agent". Pistols Firing. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  13. ↑ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Elijah Collins College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Bengals Sign 14 College Free Agents". Bengals.com. May 10, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Bengals Reduce Final Roster To 53 Players". Bengals.com. August 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved July 12, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Redblacks Transactions May 31, 2025". Ottawa Redblacks. May 31, 2025.
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