Justin

Hollins

Ceaser logged zero snaps in his 2024 rookie season. The Bills correspondingly waived WR Jalen Virgil and DE Justin Hollins with injury designations. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia writes, “Virgil was quite limited during Wednesday’s practice, while Hollins was not on the field for the session.”

Hollins (6’5/248) made 37 career starts for the Ducks, starring on special teams as a true freshman, moving from outside linebacker to defensive end as a redshirt sophomore, and staying there to collect 36.5 career tackles for loss, 13 sacks, and eight forced fumbles. Hollins’ stock elevated at the Combine with a 4.5-flat forty, 25 reps on the bench, and 79th-percentile SPARQ results. A jack of all trades but master of none, Hollins blends a modicum of edge-rush ability with some off-ball linebacker potential but is likely to begin his career chasing down kickoffs and punts.

Hollins (6'5/248) is described as a “Three-year starter with athletic ability and length teams look for from edge talent.” Zierlein’s on the money with athleticism as Hollins produced a 74th percentile SPARQ athletic composite score at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 2018 honorable mention all-conference player is likely to be picked at some point on Day 3 of the NFL Draft and Zierlein specifically projects a Round 6 selection.

Hollins (6'5/248) tested well at the NFL Scouting Combine, and that has led to increased attention on the pre-draft “circuit.” He’s also visited with the Dolphins recently, and the feeling is that he’s a Day 2/3 draft prospect. Last season Hollins accounted for 64 total tackles (14.5 for loss), 6.5 sacks and one interception, earning honorable mention all-conference honors.

Hollins (6'5/248) was really moving in the forty, especially for a player at almost 250 pounds. But it didn’t stop there. Hollins recorded a 36.5-inch vertical and had 25 reps on the bench press. Heading into the event, Draft Analyst’s Tony Pauline gave Hollins a Day 3 grade, but he may begin to generate more Day 2 buzz after today’s results.

Hollins has quietly been one of -- if not the -- most productive players on the Oregon defense, and finished his senior year with 14.5 tackles for loss with 6.5 sacks. He also showed some ability in coverage, as the 6-foot-5, 238-pound linebacker broke up six passes and picked a pass off. Draft Analyst’s Tony Pauline believes he’s a potential steal in the “middle of Day 3,” so he’ll definitely be a linebacker to keep an eye on during the Shrine Game practices and game.

As Pauline notes, Jalen Jelks is the “famous” linebacker for Oregon, but Hollins has outperformed him, at least statistically. He’s picked up five sacks, 57 tackles and 12 tackles for loss, and he uses his length (6'5/238) to make plays as a rusher and run defender. “I gave him an early sixth-round grade over the summer,” writes Pauline, “and believe Hollins will be a steal in the middle of Day 3.”