In recruiting circles, 2013 Livingston athlete Chevoski Collins is known as one of the more difficult prospects to get on the phone for an interview. OU Insider did manage to catch up with the likely defensive back prospect recently and Collins revealed his current top three ($) -- Texas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State.
Rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals and Scout, 247Sports sees the versatile playmaker as a four-star prospect. He reports nine offers, including Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, and Vanderbilt, along with the three finalists, a number that seems small for a prospect of Collins' caliber.
The low-key nature of his recruitment could play a role in those numbers, as well as the small school at which he plays. Overall, though, Collins has the ability and profile of a guy who should have 20 or more offers. Where are the mid-tier Big 12 schools, the mid-tier Big 10 schools, the mid-tier SEC schools? Heck, Ole Miss has offered well over 200 prospects in the 2013 and Missisippi State may not be far behind.
In any case, the Longhorns are still in the mix, despite the fact that Collins didn't make it to campus for any of the summer camps, often a death kneel in a recruitment by Texas -- Mack Brown wants to get prospects to those camps to work with the coaching staff and, depending on the camp, spend time around the rest of the recruiting class.
Collins revealed in the interview why he hasn't been attending camps this summer:
My coaches told me since I have offers already that I should not go to any camps and should stay around here and workout with our team and save my money. So, that is what I am doing. I am just working out with my team and playing seven-on-seven.
Fair enough, I guess.
It's really been a low-key spring and early summer for Collins, whose only trip appears to have been a jaunt up to Norman back in early May. The Oklahoma State offer followed shortly after, with the Pokes making his top three despite the lack of a visit to Stillwater ($).
At last check, Collins planned to announce during his senior season and it's not clear when that trip will take place -- back in May, he said it would happen this summer, but the Livingston product didn't sound like he had anything planned in the most recent interview, which may mean that he'll take official visits in the fall.
Being recruited as a defensive back by nearly every team still involved in his recruitment, Collins now sounds more willing to play on defense than he did months ago, when he seemed more set on receiver.
After the commitment of Cibolo Steele safety Erik Huhn, there was a lot of speculation about how may spots were left in the Texas class at defensive back. Collins and Arizona cornerback Cole Luke appear to be in the mix still, but if Florida safety Marcell Harris commits to Texas (still in the realm of possibility) or Georgia safety Vonn Bell commits (much less likely), it's probable that Duane Akina would close up shop unless he wants to take another pure cornerback in Luke. Point is, though, that a commitment from Luke would in all likelihood make Collins' offer uncommittable, though a decision from Luke doesn't seem imminent.
Whew, got all that?
Will Texas land Collins? It's so difficult to tell which schools he favors, that making predictions is virtually impossible. Any preferences among his top three are basically a mystery at this point.