Les Miles has finally spoken out in defense of his former All-American, La’el Collins.
Miles, who lobbied for Collins to be allowed to enter the supplemental draft in July, said he wanted to see the offensive lineman get paid.
“What I would like to see is a guy — who’s really performed well for our team and has given us great leadership who has continued to raise his market level heading toward draft day — be given just and fair market value,” Miles said Thursday, per Ross Dellenger of The Advocate. “Should he have been put in the supplemental draft, he’d make somewhere between $2-8 million more money.”
Collins didn’t get market value, but he still will be okay after having all three-years, and $1.65 million with the Cowboys guaranteed.
As an undrafted free agent, Collins has the option of reworking his contract after two seasons as opposed to three if he was drafted.
“It’s a guy who’s afraid to make a precedent of throwing a guy, who plummets based on a reason, to a supplemental draft,” he said. “But why wouldn’t that be what (the supplemental draft) is for? Explain to me why that’s not perfect for this?”