May 17, 2024

Bevins awaits NFL call

Bearcat defensive end projected as later-round pick Saturday

By LARRY PETERSON

Former Northwest Missouri State standout defensive lineman, and Creston native Collin Bevins chases after a ball carrier during the NCAA Division II national championship game against North Alabama at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan. on Dec. 17. Bevins is in the mix to be drafted in the later rounds of the NFL Draft this weekend. (CNA photo)

Nothwest Missouri State All-American defensive end Collin Bevins of Creston hopes to hear his name called this weekend during the NFL draft.

Projected as a possible selection in the fifth through seventh rounds on Saturday, Bevins plans to watch the draft with a small group of family and friends at his Creston home.

He said he has been in the most contact with the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens, but has had conversations with several other teams, including a workout in Maryville, Missouri, with representatives of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Bevins, who participated in a pro day on the

Missouri Western campus with four Bearcat teammates in March, traveled to Arizona to work out for the Cardinals and meet their coaching staff and front office on April 2 and 3.

Since then, there have been several other inquiries directed to Bevins and his Chicago-based agent, Kyle Dolan.

“Probably 15 different teams have called in the last few days, getting my phone number for draft day and asking what I’ve been hearing in terms of interest from other teams,” Bevins said Thursday afternoon.

Bevins would become the first Creston player to be drafted in the NFL. Former Iowa quarterback Kyle McCann was picked up as a free agent by the New York Jets after the 2001 draft and participated in training camp before playing in NFL Europe.

The only NFL player in Creston history was “Frosty” Peters as a drop-kicker four four years in the 1930s, before the draft was utilized by the league.

Bevins, fellow Bearcat defensive end Cass Weitl of Carroll Kuemper Catholic and kicker Simon Mathiesen all expect free agent offers if not selected in the later rounds Saturday.

Coming off a broken foot in the Division II semifinals in Maryville, which hampered him in the championship game, Bevins spent the winter rehabbing the injury and training before the March 24 pro day. At that event he was measured at 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds, broad jumped 9-9, had a vertical jump of 31.5 inches and bench pressed 225 pounds for 26 repetitions.

Pro scouts, projecting him as a rush defensive end, liked his measurements of 10 3/4 inch hands and 34 3/4 inch arms.

Weitl was 6-4 and 266 pounds with 16 reps in the bench press, vertical of 33.5 inches with hand measurement of 10 1/8 inches and arm length of 33 5/8 inches.

“It seems like they list you a little shorter at pro days, but that doesn’t bother me,” said Bevins, who was listed as 6-6 and 285 pounds on the Bearcat roster.

Bevins recorded 61 total tackles, which was the fourth most on the team, and was second on the team in sacks with eight. He had 15.5 tackles for loss as a senior, which was third best for the Bearcats.

Bevins was also voted to the Don Hansen All-America Second Team as well as All-America First Team honors from American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), and the Associated Press.

Bevins was also named to the D2football.com’s All-America first team. He was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2015.

Bevins broke the career records previously held by current Los Angeles Rams defensive end Matt Longacre. Bevins finished with 58.5 tackles for loss and 34 sacks for his career, led by a 26.5-15.5 junior campaign that led to first team All-America honors.