Collins was born in Rochester, New York and played scholastically at Beaver Falls High School in Pennsylvania.
[2] In his 1980 freshman season, Collins played on a Pitt team that included eight other future NFL players: Rickey Jackson, Dan Marino, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert, Bill Maas, Hugh Green, and Tim Lewis.
Collins led the team in receiving that year with 30 receptions for 827 yards and 10 touchdowns.
[3] As a senior, he was honored by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) as a second-team All-American.
[4] Collins was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 1984 NFL draft,[5] and played one season for them.