BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU's La'el Collins, who was a second-team All-American as a senior in 2014, said all the talk of him being moved to right tackle or guard in the NFL is just that for now -- "talk."
"Every team, every scout, every coach, offensive line coach from teams that have worked me out has said "definitely" I'm a left tackle," said the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder, a likely first-round draft pick who boosted his stock even further by flashing his athleticism at last month's scouting combine.
But Collins insisted Friday that he wouldn't have any problem moving inside if that's what his next employer prefers. And he only views it as positive that teams and draft analysts see that kind of versatility in him.
"I believe in my abilities. And I think the fact that I'm even in the conversation to be able to play guard or tackle at the next level is huge, that's value," Collins said after performing position drills in front of a packed house of NFL scouts at LSU's pro timing day (he elected to skip all of the other drills and let his combine performance speak for itself). "Being able to play both positions is something I love to carry on my shoulders. I feel like I can fit in anywhere, plug in anywhere."
Collins virtually echoed the same words that another former LSU left tackle said about him earlier in the day -- Cincinnati Bengals veteran Andrew Whitworth, who was on hand at the Tigers' indoor practice facility.
Whitworth is an ideal model and mentor for Collins since he also played guard early in his nine-year NFL career before becoming a Pro Bowl left tackle in 2012 and a second-team All-Pro in 2014.
"It's one of those things that sometimes people can get nit-picky about, but at the end of the day, he can be an excellent guard or he can be a great tackle," Whitworth said. "It depends on the system, and it depends on the atmosphere he's put in. Honestly, to me, it's more of a compliment, because that means they think you're tough and strong and physical, and that you can also play on the edge.
"If they can already consider you at two positions, that means they have a high opinion of you."
Collins' ultimate landing spot will depend on each team's specific needs. If he moves just one hour down the road to New Orleans, for example, he'll likely play guard for the Saints -- not only because they need one to eventually replace six-time Pro Bowler Jahri Evans, but because they've been ahead of the recent NFL curve when it comes to valuing the position.
Evans and Carl Nicks were both first-team All-Pro guards during the Saints' Super Bowl prime, because quarterback Drew Brees loves to climb up in the pocket.
Lately, more and more guards have gone higher in the draft league-wide -- including the Dallas Cowboys' Zack Martin, who was moved from tackle to guard after being drafted 16th overall last year and wound up being a first-team All Pro.
The year before that, guards Chance Warmack and Jonathan Cooper were top-10 draft picks for the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals, respectively. The year before that, the Pittsburgh Steelers' David DeCastro and Bengals' Kevin Zeitler both went in the 20s.
Another top prospect this year, Iowa's Brandon Scherff, could also be switched from left tackle to guard in the NFL.
I spoke to a few personnel folks Friday at LSU who agreed the guard position has become increasingly valued.
"If they're good players, why not [draft them high]," said new Saints assistant general manager and former Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland. "If they're gonna help you win, and they're gonna be productive and consistent and they're good character people and dependable, that's important."
"I don't think it is [a stigma to be moved to guard] anymore," Whitworth said. "I think now you see a lot of the really top-end guards that are getting paid the same as tackles, or at least close. So I think that position's changing."
Collins was set to meet with the Saints after Friday's workouts, since they had almost their entire contingent of coaches and front office personnel on hand. He said he has about 15 other visits set up, though he declined to name the teams.
Though Collins was glad he generated positive buzz with his combine performance (his 40-yard dash time of 5.12 seconds ranked sixth among offensive linemen), he said it was hard to sit and watch for most of Friday's activities.
"It kinda sucks, especially for a guy like me," Collins said. "I'm a very big competitor. It got me very anxious."
Asked what he hoped to show NFL teams, Collins said, "Just be consistent and show them my game's nowhere near where I'm gonna be. There's so much more room for me to grow, show 'em that I'm coachable. You bring me in, you can coach me and train me the way you want me to be. And I'll go out there and be successful and do everything you need me to."
Stay tuned for more coverage out of LSU's pro day from ESPN SEC reporter David Ching.