Edge rusher Chris Collins is a native of Richmond, Virginia where he starred at Benedictine College Prep on both sides of the ball as a tight end and defensive lineman. After being ranked as the ninth-best overall player in the state, Collins chose to stay somewhat close to home and continue his playing career at North Carolina with the Tarheels.
In five seasons at UNC, Collins played in 46 games where he totaled 68 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. After earning an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Collins chose to transfer to the University of Minnesota for one final campaign.