Tony Collins was drafted No. 47 overall by the New England Patriots in the 1981 NFL Draft out of East Carolina. 103 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 47 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #47
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 1981
- NFL games
- 103
- Years as starter
- 6
- Career AV
- 478th at East Carolina
- Pro Bowls
- 1
The pick
How Tony Collins came off the board in 1981.
- Position
- Running back RB
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
103 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 47 career approximate value
- Games played
- 103
- Seasons as a starter
- 6
- Career approximate value
- 478th among East Carolina picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 47100% of career value
- Final season
- 19909 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 1× Pro Bowl
Around pick 47
Who came off the board on either side of Tony Collins.
Texas
Alabama State
Villanova · Hall of Fame · 2× All-Pro · 8× Pro Bowl
LSU
Other RB picks from East Carolina
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Chris Johnson
RB · TEN · 2008
East Carolina · 1× All-Pro · 3× Pro Bowl
#280
Earnest Byner
RB · CLE · 1984
East Carolina · 2× Pro Bowl
#134
Jerris McPhail
RB · MIA · 1996
East Carolina
#241
Leonard Henry
RB · MIA · 2002
East Carolina
#252
Tony Baker
RB · ATL · 1986
East Carolina
#288
Sam Harrell
RB · MIN · 1980
East Carolina
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Tony Collins in the 1981 NFL Draft
Tony Collins is a Running back out of East Carolina selected No. 47 overall by the New England Patriots in the 1981 NFL Draft. 103 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 47 career approximate value East Carolina has produced 55 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Tony Collins drafted?
Tony Collins was selected No. 47 overall by the New England Patriots in the 1981 NFL Draft (Rd 2). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/tony-collins.
What college did Tony Collins play for?
Tony Collins played college football at East Carolina in the American. See every East Carolina draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/east-carolina-pirates.
How did Tony Collins's NFL career turn out?
103 regular-season games · 6 seasons as a starter · 47 career approximate value Accolades: 1× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1981/tony-collins.