A former High School Basketball standout at University of-Detroit Jesuit in Detroit, Michigan, and a 247Sports.com 3-Star football recruit, Elijah Collins burst on the scene at Big10/Power-5, Michigan State University (MSU) as the 25th ranked Running Back (RB) in the nation. In his Red-shirt Freshman year he seized the starting role, and by the 2019 season’s end, earned All-Big10 Conference Third Team Honors (Media & Pro Football Focus) for exploits such as 192 rushing yards against Western Michigan that included an MSU record setting long run of 58 yards from scrimmage. The single-game 192 yards stands as the most rushing yards by a freshman RB in MSU’s history, and the second most by any MSU RB. Elijah’s 2019 season concluded with him being ranked the Spartans’ Number 2 All-Time Leading Rusher in both yards (988) and carries (222) for a freshman RB, the Big10’s Number 4 ranked rusher on the season, and entry on the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award Watchlists.

In 2020, Elijah was recognized as the Big10’s leading returning rusher, but a change in coaching staff and philosophy, a COVID pandemic, nagging injuries, and the later arrival of the 2021 season’s eventual Doak Walker Award recipient exacted a compromising blow to his continued ascension. Despite the setbacks, Elijah was named a team captain in 2022, and added special teams experience to his resume posting the fourth most special teams plays (153) for the Spartans while participating on all four special teams units (KO, KR, P, & PR). His final season at MSU culminated in the team’s fifth most all-purpose yards (411), a tie for first on the team in rushing TDs (6), and a degree in Media & Information in December 2022. He wrapped up his MSU career as a 4-year letter winner, amassing 1,506 rushing yards on 353 carries (4.3 yards/carry), 260 receiving yards on 36 receptions (7.2 yards/reception), 11 rushing TDs, 1 receiving TD, and 6 tackles.

In 2023, Elijah entered the transfer portal to complete his collegiate career as a ‘Grad Transfer’ at Oklahoma State University (OSU), only to be bitten by a high ankle sprain injury once more, and subsequently, play behind the eventual Doak Walker Award winner for a second time in his NCAA career. Nonetheless, he contributed admirably for the Cowboys posting two TDs, two tackles, 142 yards on 30 carries (4.7 yards/carry), two receptions for 19 yards (9.5 yards/reception – long of 18 yards), and a Kick Return for 10 yards. He also completed his Certificate in Marketing and Entrepreneurship.

Elijah is complete Running Back that runs behind his pads, but is also adept at making defenders miss with his elusiveness. He possesses formidable receiving skills out of the backfield, and has pass protection abilities that are second to none.
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