Nico Collins helps Michigan’s football team recruit wide receivers
When Ron Bellamy asked Jacob Washington for help, he showed him clips of Nico Collins.
Long before he became a rising star and received a lucrative contract extension with the Houston Texans in May, Collins was making waves in Ann Arbor.
At 6’4″, he was a tall, lanky receiver with a penchant for making plays. But he never seemed to get enough of the ball to have a lasting impact on Michigan football. In three seasons, he amassed 78 catches for 1,388 yards and 13 touchdowns – numbers comparable to the totals of the NCAA’s best wideouts. last autumn alone.
Collins’ career has in many ways helped cement the perception of the Wolverines’ offense, which has been described as run-heavy, unbalanced and particularly unfavorable to outside talent like Washington.
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But Washington – a four-star prospect from Archbishop Shaw in Marrero, Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans – saw things differently. Collins not only made it to the NFL as a third-round pick in 2021, but also eventually developed into one of the league’s top targets. Perhaps Washington, with his 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame, could follow a similar trajectory.
The man who sold him on the idea was none other than Bellamy, Michigan’s third-year offensive pass game coordinator and receivers coach who played wide receiver for the Wolverines at the turn of the century. Bellamy had credibility because he once played at the same high school and played under the same coach as Washington.
“We have built a strong relationship based only on trust and respect,” Washington told the Free Press after joining the Wolverines this month.
Because of this good relationship, Bellamy was able to allay any concerns about the negative impact of Michigan’s floor-centric offensive philosophy on pass receiver performance. He pointed out that many starters’ performance was hampered last year by not playing all four quarters in several blowout victories. While that point has merit, it’s one of many explanations in recent years that have failed to satisfy skeptics who complained that the Wolverines don’t throw enough to attract talented pass receivers.
“It’s a hard sell,” said a parent of a former Michigan wide receiver who transferred. “It doesn’t take a genius to realize, hey man, these guys all want the ball.”
Bellamy now faces a difficult task of marketing the Wolverines to pass catchers nationwide. Since joining Michigan’s team in 2021, Bellamy has landed just three blue-chip wideouts, according to 247 Sports’ overall rankings. Two of those additions, Darrius Clemons and Karmello English, have already left the team. The other, I’Marion Stewart, will be two months away from starting his first college season.
Considering Michigan hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2013, Bellamy’s mediocre recruiting track record isn’t surprising. But he’s tried to get around his obvious obstacles by tapping into his contacts and returning to areas where he’s a familiar face. That’s when he brought in sophomore Semaj Morgan from West Bloomfield, the school he coached to a Division 1 state championship in January 2021. He also made a pilgrimage to the New Orleans area, where he reunited with Hank Tierney, his old coach at Archbishop Shaw.
Before returning to the Catholic school in Louisiana for a second stint, Tierney was 60 miles down the road running the football program at Ponchatoula High, where he introduced Bellamy Amorion Walker. Walker came to Michigan two years ago as a receiver, left in January as a defensive back, then switched back a few months later to play his original position on offense.
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“I don’t know if you know much about Amorion, but he’s a physical prodigy,” Tierney told the Free Press.
Former UM coach Jim Harbaugh made a similar observation last year, calling him a “unicorn.” But the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Walker never found his place as a wide receiver, catching just one pass for four yards before moving to the other side of the ball. By the time he made that transition in 2022, Walker had accepted that he would have limited opportunities if he stayed where he was.
“Do I think anyone (here) could make 100 catches?” he said at the time. “Honestly, no. … You just have to do it very efficiently, whatever you do.”
Michigan’s experienced outside players understand this.
Roman Wilson, the team’s top receiver in 2023, said last summer, “It is what it is. … We’re very good at running the ball.”
The Wolverines decided to highlight this strength last season and the results showed accordingly.
Michigan kept the ball on the ground nearly 60 percent of the time and achieved an undefeated record and a national championship. Then in April, 13 players were drafted, including Wilson and fellow receiver Cornelius Johnson. Wilson was taken in the third round and Johnson in the seventh.
“It’s a pro-level offense,” Bellamy told the Free Press in December 2022. “There are schools where you can catch 100 balls. But are you going to be successful with that? Does that prepare you for the next level? Then there are systems that help you refine your tools, develop your skills and then give you the opportunity to do well at the next level. We pride ourselves on that.”
Collins has proven this concept in many ways.
That’s why Washington was so intrigued by the idea of playing at Michigan, as he saw it as a path to a better future after Bellamy’s pitch.
“He showed me my role on offense and how I can contribute,” he said. “They don’t have a lot of big receivers on the roster, so I could come in right away and be unique.”
Michigan’s courting of Washington has intensified over the past five months. Bellamy flew to New Orleans earlier this year. Then, in April, Washington came to Ann Arbor, where he watched a spring practice and fell in love with the fast pace of the drills.
Considering Michigan’s strong academic profile, the Wolverines’ recent success and Washington’s connection to Bellamy, Tierney says, “It’s a good fit.”
Ultimately, Washington should have no trouble adapting to the Wolverines’ offense, as Shaw is also a run-oriented team with its spread-option scheme, powered by another Michigan commitment: three-star tailback Jasper Parker.
Last year, after Washington transferred from nearby Jesuit High School, Tierney watched him steadily improve throughout the season and take advantage of the opportunities that came his way. The progress has continued this offseason, as Washington has spent hours in the weight room building mass and more time on the field refining his technique with a trainer. After a great performance in a spring game, Tierney was convinced he was ready to take the next step.
“He’s doing everything in his power to get healthy,” Tierney noted.
Washington hopes he’ll be ready to make an impact at Michigan by the time he enrolls next year. His size gives him the confidence he needs.
“What really impressed me is the fact that all of Michigan’s great receivers in the past have been great receivers,” Washington said.
Look no further than Collins.
The rising NFL star who once symbolized the Wolverines’ inability to utilize their best receivers is now being used as evidence of why Michigan should be a destination for the likes of Washington. As the program’s latest receiver signing proves, it’s a pretty compelling argument.
Contact Rainer Sabin at [email protected]. Follow him @RainerSabin
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