Zaven Collins was such a big fish in such a small pond in the tiny town of Hominy, Oklahoma, that as his college coach so colorfully put it, if he ever got into any kind of trouble, “Mama’s going to find out about it probably before he even gets back home.”
Mama has meant everything to Zaven Collins, the Tulsa linebacker selected by the Cardinals wtth the 16th overall pick Thursday night in the NFL draft.
Haley Collins raised her son as a single parent, taking multiple part-time jobs to make things work. But the most important thing in her life has always been Zaven and making sure she kept finding ways to encourage him into being the best he could be.