Audavion Collins has spent enough time around Penn State’s defense to stop looking like a player with upside and start looking like a real problem.
The veteran cornerback came in with the physical traits to matter. After a full season of development, plus a demanding offseason under first-year head coach Matt Campbell and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, he appears to be turning that promise into something more concrete. In fall camp, he has become one of the hardest matchups on the practice field.
Rocco Becht has felt it.
“He’s really talented. I would say he’s really good at playing in between two different routes, whether it’s a high-low out to the field or a high-low to the boundary. He’s really good at reading our eyes and keeping track of the two routes.
“That’s definitely been a struggle in practice, but I feel like over time we’ve been able to talk to each other, learn about one another and see how we can play better against one another. If we see that out on the field, we’ll be ready for it.
“He’s definitely been an asset to me, and I’m sure I’m an asset to him. To have that talent and ability on the defensive side that I’m going against every single day is definitely preparing me for the season.”
That’s the trait that stands out with Collins now: he’s not just reacting, he’s processing. Route combinations, eye discipline, anticipation - that’s where he’s made his biggest leap. Quarterbacks can try to sell one thing and throw another, but Collins has gotten better at staying patient and reading the whole picture.
Taylor Mouser didn’t exactly soften the evaluation either.
“AC is a large nemesis. Every day in practice he makes throwing the football one of the most competitive things I’ve ever gotten the ability to go against.”
And the production from last season supports the buzz.
According to Pro Football Focus, Collins played 538 defensive snaps in 2025, with 272 coming in coverage. He posted an overall defensive grade of 68.3, a run-defense grade of 70.6 and a coverage grade of 67.8. He gave up 25 catches on 38 targets, while opposing quarterbacks completed 65.8 percent of their throws against him for 312 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but they do paint the picture of a corner who held up well against Big Ten competition and didn’t give away easy explosives. Collins allowed 12.5 yards per catch, and his stronger outings came inside the conference.
His PFF grades against Michigan State (75.3), Ohio State (65.1), Northwestern (68.4) and Oregon (68.6) showed a player settling in as the year went on. Even when the ball came his way, he usually looked composed, using the length and ball skills that made him such an interesting addition to the secondary in the first place.
The obvious next step is finishing plays.
Collins didn’t snag an interception last season, even though he was around the football plenty. If those pass breakups start turning into takeaways, his value changes fast.
That matters in D’Anton Lynn’s defense, which is built to force negative plays. Corners who can close possessions are the ones who get rewarded.
And the best sign for Penn State is that Collins is getting tested every day by one of the Big Ten’s better quarterback-receiver combinations in practice. Becht’s words make it clear that Collins is already creating problems before the season even begins.
That’s the kind of internal pressure Campbell wanted.
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The exhibits framing is what makes it impossible to ignore, especially for a fan base that has spent years wrestling with how to remember that era. It does not mention the child sexual abuse charges against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky or Paternos handling of the situation, and that choice is already shaping the conversation around the museum addition. Penn State coach Matt Campbell noted the importance of the programs history, but the question of how much of that history should be celebrated, and how much should be confronted, remains very much alive. [Read more 🡒]