The following is a transcription of Arkansas RB Alex Collins’ meeting with the media at the 2016 NFL Combine wherein Collins discusses his style of running, his favorite plays, his areas for improvement and among other things … his lacrosse skills.

–given relatively short life span of RBs, did that influence your decision to come out early–

Not necessarily. I didn’t make my decision based on statistics and the life span of a running back. I was more a decision I made with my family. Sat down and talked, and went over the decision, and we all felt that it was best I declare.

–how do you compare your game to teammate Jonathan Williams–

We were good together. We were a good tandem because we complemented each other. At times I would go in and I would be a power back and he was the elusive back. And then at times, he was the power back and I was the elusive back. Just throwing that at defenses, it kind of helped us to open up our run game.

–any NFL backs you like to watch, or even pattern your game after–

I like to watch a lot of NFL backs. I try to pattern myself off of those guys because they got there for a reason. Those guys are really great backs that have done some really good things at the college level and NFL level. The way I look at it, I just try to find what moves they’re good at, like if someone has a good spin move or a good stiff-arm, or just kind of learn they’re favorite move and at that to my game so I can be the most complete back as possible.

–any particular guys you like to watch–

There isn’t one necessarily that I would pick out of the others. But I watch guys like Darren McFadden, Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson.

–Arkansas O-line was huge, you may actually run behind a smaller one in NFL–

(laughs) I never thought about that. I had a pretty good offensive line at Arkansas. but these guys are in the NFL for a reason because they’re the best around. And just thinking about that gets me excited. They’re professionals getting paid lots of money to do what they do. I’m just ready to experience that.

–is there such a thing as having an offensive linemen that’s too big blocking for you–

Not at all. The bigger the better. I can hide behind them.

–what allows a running back to get to the edge like you do–is it just all about speed–

I would say it’s definitely patience, that plays a huge factor in it because if you’re the type of runner that just always runs outside, then they’ll just come from the outside and force you up the field. Just being patient, letting things lead up to it, if that’s the road it takes you, then you go with it. If you’ve got cuts up the field, you take the cuts. But I would definitely say it’s just being patience, letting things play out. If that’s the best opportunity, take that opportunity. But as far as just aiming for the outside, it wouldn’t work every time because defenses wouldn’t let you keep doing that.

–was ready to go to Wisconsin coming out of high school but switched to Arkansas to follow coach Bret Bielema–

I had my mind made up after doing the home visit, after taking my recruiting visit. Because mostly the personal relationship we grew. That’s why I followed him to Arkansas. I had my mind made up that I was gonna go to Wisconsin, and after he decided to leave, I was like what do I do. Do I stay here? He was a big part in why I wanted to go there. I believed everything he said. He told me how it was, and how I’d be (used), and I could play right away if I came and got my stuff together and just did what I was supposed to do. And I really believed every word he was saying, and that’s why I decided to follow him to Arkansas.

–if there was one running play left on earth, what running play would you like it to be?–

One running play left? I’d say an inside zone probably or a power _ I can’t say. That’s hard. I’m satisfied anytime they hand me off the ball, no matter if it’s a toss, a power. I’ve got to make the best of it no matter what type of run it is. So it’s kind of hard to pick out one. Any time I get the opportunity I’ve gotta make the best of it. So I just kind of look at any run being a good run for me.

–working on passing downs–

That’s something I actually take pride in, my pass protection. I feel like that’s a big part of my game. It’s something that I’m really good at. I really feel like that’s been helping me, and that helped me a lot in college. That allowed me to be an every-down back. I don’t have to be taken out for third-down situations because I know what I’m doing in the passing game.

As far as receiving, I feel like I can be a big threat, getting out, getting routes and stuff like that. But the way my system worked in college, we were more check-downs and what-not, so I feel like I can definitely be used more in the passing game on the next level.

–or you looking forward to that part of the combine–

That’s what I’m most looking forward to, just to prove myself, because it’s been a lot saying that that’s one thing I have to prove. They don’tbknow if I can catch, I didn’t get many catches in my career there. But the thing was, I didn’t drop any balls either that was thrown to me. And I feel like that’s something I really feel I can prove myself that I can catch the ball.

–best RB in the draft?–

I honestly feel like I’m the best running back in the draft. And it’s just more of a confidence. I don’t like to settle with being mediocre or settling that other running backs are better than me. I feel like I can compete with the best.

–played lacrosse in high school–

I actually love lacrosse. I played my senior year in high school. . .it was just a very good experience. It was a lot of fun as well. I feel like I could have definitely gotten some scholarship offers for lacrosse. We played against some big-time schools down there in Florida and the guys that I had to compete with had full scholarship offers. I did some good things against those guys and I feel like colleges would’ve really considered me if I would’ve really got into it.