The rich get richer.
The Dallas Cowboys signed first-round talent offensive lineman La'El Collins shortly after the NFL Draft. This was noteworthy because the Cowboys were already thought to have arguably the league's best blockers up front. Due to the team's stocked talent and Collins' versatility, it was unknown what position he would play.
At first, rumors out of Big D hinted that he would compete with Ronald Leary for the left guard spot. But since right tackle Doug Free is still recovering from offseason foot surgery, Collins has been taking most of his snaps on the opposite side.
"We see him as a guy who can maybe do both of those things as he goes," head coach Jason Garrett said. "The big thing for him is to try to get him acclimated as quickly as he can. So right now he's going to play right tackle for us."
Collins possesses freakish athleticism, but changing sides on the line is no small task. Your entire body must get used to a reverse adjustment.
"Everything," Collins said when asked what is different between the positions. "I had to switch from playing left pretty much my whole career to right. So now I have to switch up my stance and really re-wire my whole mind toward where I want to go when I hear play calls and things like that."
Collins starred as a left guard in his sophomore season and a left tackle his final two years at LSU. Now, he'll have to get used to the a new position at the NFL by watching Dallas' successful veterans closely.
"You get a sense of the feel of the way it's supposed to be done, the speed of it," Collins said. "Just being able to see Tyron (Smith) go through his sets and his footwork and his hand placement and where he is and seeing him go through the drills you get a feel for it."
Free is expected to return sometime during training camp. Will Collins be able to wrestle the starting job away from him? Only time will tell.
