Nico Collins – Houston Texans Wide Receiver

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Get started at Stamps.com today with code program for a four-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale. All right, welcome back in. It is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. How about the Houston Texans? They're two and two to start off the season after back-to-back monster victories up against the Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers. And Nico Collins, who I remember talking to right before the NFL draft, has really done an unbelievable job here in your number three in the NFL. Has 22 receptions for 428 yards and three touchdowns on the year.

And he's coming off a great performance in that 30 to 6 victory up against the Pittsburgh Steelers where he had seven catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns. And the Texans wide receiver, Nico Collins, kind enough to join us right now. Nico, appreciate the time as always. How you been?

I'm good. I appreciate you coming on and you're off to this incredible start. That Steelers defense is really good, but you guys put up a lot of points on them. Why were you guys able to have such a good performance up against that Stout-Sealers defense? Man, we knew just coming to, you know, the game, we were a type of team that still is going to beat, man. But I feel like it came down to, you know, this preparation, you know, throughout the week. Just fixing the details from the previous week, our previous game we had, man. And I feel like it just came down to just going out and having fun, man. Just competing and enjoying the moment. And then we came out with the big victory, man, for the city and it was big time. Your quarterback has impressed a lot of people in C.J.

Strad. How do you describe playing with him as QB won the last four games? Man, C.J., he's a dog, man. You know, we already knew, you know, when we picked him, man, what type of guy we was getting, man. The dude was a dog and he would just tell just the way he just carried himself, you know, every single day, man. It's the reason why he's a captain.

And it's only going to get better, you know, every single day, man. He just carried himself with a chip on his shoulder, man, willing to work and willing to improve everybody around him. What do you think the ceiling of him could be? Because when he plays his way through the first four games, it catches a lot of eyeballs and people go, man, this guy's really looking good. Yeah, man, the ceiling is high for him. I feel like there's no ceiling for him, man. Like, it's scary how good he can be, man. You could tell just being around him every day, just like he's willing to improve on his game, like, so much. And it shows on Sundays, man, just he puts in the extra work with us, man, after practice.

Just little reps, you know, we didn't get or didn't make it practice, you know, we were staying happy to get those reps, man. And then when game time come on Sundays, man, he's just balling. You know, he's not even thinking about it, man, just going out and just doing what he loves, man, sure. Nico Collins here with us. You always know a quarterback has their guy. You look like you're the guy for CJ Stroud. Take me a little bit behind the scenes why you guys have been able to blend so well together and it seems like it's been really a seamless transition for both of you guys and you really hit it off. Yeah, man, I feel like, man, it just came down to, you know, when we first picked him up, when he first drafted CJ, man, and just when it's the first day he just stepped in the building, man, you could tell he had that, like, that it factor with him, you know, that he's willing to change his whole program, man. And we've just been grinding his entire OTAs, man, just me as receivers, tight ends, man, just making sure we're getting that chemistry down pat, man. And we've been working hard in OTAs, camp, and a little bit during the little time break we had, man, just so we can get that bond together, man, so we can go out and just fall out, you know, on Sunday is what I didn't think. I'll tell you, though, when we get into Thanksgiving weekend, things get a little heated in that locker room with the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

That's going to be a fun one. Nico Collins here with us from the Houston Texans, off to a great start. Through the first four games, for you individually, like, you've already surpassed your stats in an individual season from the prior two years.

Just what has, for you, this been like, where we've seen so much success for you and you're getting a lot of national praise and national attention? Yeah, man, I just feel like, man, at first I'm blessed, you know, just to be in this position and, you know, to have success on the field as well, man. But I feel like, for me, man, I'm just continuing to chase my small details. I feel like I need to improve on, man, and just, you know, continue to work on my craft, you know, just continue to critique myself about small things because I feel like there's always room for improvement in your game no matter what, you know. So I feel like I'm just trying to take details, you know, every single day and just having fun, man, playing football. You know, I've been playing this sport your whole life, so I feel like it's just, again, just, man, it's just football at the end of the day, man, just having fun with it, you know.

So I just feel like, man, I'm just thanking God every day for everything, man, and just taking advantage of every opportunity I have. When Nikko Collins is at his best, what does that look like? What type of wide receiver are you? Man, I feel like I could be on top of it, man. I feel like I could be one of the best, man. But it comes down to, you know, I feel like just being healthy and being available for the team, man, and just taking care of your body on and off the field, man, and just being, you know, the right guy, having the right mindset, man, and just, you gotta have that dog mentality, you know. Just every time you step on the field, man, you gotta have that killer mindset, man, and just go out and just ball out, man, and I feel like, man, you just gotta continue to stay healthy.

To you, just trust the process and just keep building, keep growing. I'm going to put you on the spot here, Nikko Collins. Who are your top five receivers in the NFL, just wondering? Oh, my top five?

My top five? Yeah, I'd say Mike Evans, Julio Jones, Larry Fitzgerald, who, um, Calvin Johnson. And you gotta have Jerry Rice in there, right? You gotta have Jerry Rice in there, and Randy Mars. I don't know.

It's hard. Now, I got Randy Mars, probably, in my top two. Well, when we look at the current day wide receiver, just wondering, like, who are the guys that you look around the league, and I don't want to say you model your game after, but that you really respect?

Respect? Oh, man, I've spent a lot of receivers, man. Well, most definitely Mike Evans, because I just feel like I've been watching him since 2014, and then when he was at Texas A&M, I feel like that's one dude.

I kind of got the same body type, same game almost, man. I feel like that's one dude I still watch to this day. I still study him, watch him how he get open, use his hands. Him, D-Hop, DeAndre Hopkins, man, just those type guys, man, that have, like, great sets, that's been successful in the league. You know, those guys, I just still look up to, you know, still watch, study, see them on, you know, just, you know, just trying to model my game after them, just make plays, you know what I'm saying?

So, I find them still dudes I still watch to this day. Wrapping up with Nikko Collins, just having a breakout season for the Houston Texans. Take me inside that locker room and give me a little feel of what type of coach D'Meko Ryan is. Man, D'Meko, man, I feel like he's a player's coach, man. He's a guy that has been there, you know, that's been through the things we're going through currently. So, I feel like that's a person that can relate, man, and he's a coach you would leave it all out there for, man.

You could tell his passion, you know. He's willing to make sure you go out there and succeed, man, and just have fun that he wants you grinding, you know, throughout the week. So, Sunday, man, it's easy.

You're not even thinking about it, you know. You're chasing the small details, you know, throughout the week, man. That's one thing he just harp on, man, and just finish, you know, just having a dog mentality about you just every day. Just when we're 7-20 at lines, man, and I feel like the team, we're picking up that and we're feeding off of the energy from each other, man, and just going out there and just having fun, you know.

I feel that's the main thing, you know, he's just preaching with us, man, just having fun and being there, having each other's backs, you know, for sure. In the NFL, it could change really quickly. You guys are 2-2.

A lot of people are now paying attention to the Texans. Do you feel like this could be a playoff team this season, Nico? Yeah, most definitely, but I feel like, man, it's, you know, anything, nothing's guaranteed in the league, man. I feel like it's going to come down to being consistent every single week, man, and chasing those details, you know. I feel like you can't get comfortable in the league, man, because anything can happen, you know. So, I just feel like for us, man, we're just chasing details every single week and just going out every single Sunday, man. Just not knowing what to come out would be, you know, not knowing would that be your last game or not.

You never know, you know. So, I feel like we're going out there with that edge and just going out to compete, you know, and just fool people off, you know, that we can, we can compete, you know, with the best, with the best, too, as well, you know. So, I feel like, man, we're just, God's learning for this entire team, and, man, I'm just excited, you know, to see what the future holds. Last thing I'll ask you, this Sunday, you guys go up against the Atlanta Falcons. When you take a look at them and you see them on film, what are the things that stand out to you about their defense so far? Man, yeah, their defense, man. They saw the defense, man. Saw the secondary, man.

Saw the corner safeties, linebackers. You know, it's like it's all over the field, man, offense as well, man. You know, it's, like I said, I feel like you can't go on to another week, you know, thinking things are going to go smooth because you just never know, you know. I feel like you got to be prepared every week, man. You know, now that you've come back from London, you know, I'm hopefully lost from today, man, but, so, you know, they're coming in with a mindset, you know, trying to win this week, so I just feel like for us, man, we got to continue to trust our details and continue to grind out, man, and just have fun, you know, this week. Well, it's been fun to see the start that you're off to also the team as well. Always appreciate you when you join us, and good luck the rest of the way. I appreciate the same so much, man. Thank you so much.