Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia speaks to the media during the NFL combine on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, in Indianapolis. Detroit Free Press
Jamie Collins was always a dependable player. He worked hard on the practice field, took care of his business and stayed out of trouble. But Ellis Johnson knew Collins was no damn leader, that’s for sure.
The rangy linebacker with unbridled athleticism was kind of aloof — shy around almost everyone at Southern Miss — during a disastrous final season of college football in 2012, when the Golden Eagles lost all 12 of their games and Johnson, their coach, was kicked to the curb.