He opted out of his senior season due to COVID, so he finished with a modest 78 receptions for 1388 yards and 13 TDs over his college career.
With strong connections to the Texans through their coaching staff, Nico was a 3rd round pick of the franchise in 2021.
The team was going through… a lot at the time, not only at the quarterback position, but also in the coaching staff.
He finished both his rookie and sophomore campaign with similarly middling results.
In ’21 he started 8 games and had 33 receptions for 446 yards and a TD.
In ’22 he started 7 games and had 37 receptions for 481 yards and 2 TDs.
It’d be in 2023 that Nico had a breakout year, as he and rookie QB CJ Stroud paired together to be a dangerous combination.
Collins finished the ’23 campaign with career highs in all categories, as well as more than doubled his production across the board.
He finished 2023 with 80 receptions for 1297 yards, a 75 long, and 8 TDs.
NOTES:
The prices have been fluttering down on certified autographs recently, and with the emergence of Nico I wanted to get a few of his long at last into the collection since we just don’t get much love up here in Central Texas. I had originally chosen a Luminance card, but the seller couldn’t find it, so he offered to make it right by sending me the Donruss instead, which I begrudgingly accepted.
Davis Mills played QB 3 years at Stanford from 2018-’20.
Finished college career 287/ 438 for 3464 yards and 18 TDs.
3rd round pick of the Houston Texans in the 2021 NFL Draft.
He’d see action in 13 games, starting 11 his rookie year, passing for 2664 yards on 263/394 attempts (16 TDs, 10 INT).
In 2022, threw for 17 TDs- but led NFL with 15 INT, as he led the team to a 3-10-1 record.
With the drafting of CJ Stroud in 2023, Davis saw significantly less playtime.
NOTES:
I mean you gotta feel for Davis Mills. The guy rode it out as the Texans tank commander, essentially two years in a row. Then he got sent to the bench behind wonder QB CJ Stroud in ’23. Every time he has to come on the field the collective fandom of Houston holds their breath. When the Texans needed a win, they opted to roll with emergency QB Case Keenum instead of Davis last season against the Titans. Still the guy has his support, and is frequently the subject of memes discussing his gigantically long neck.
I gambled if I just waited around long enough I’d find a great deal on Davis’ cards and eventually I did, nabbing these two for a total of under 7 bucks.
CARDS: Topps XFL 2020 GREEN 43/99, Topps XFL 2020 Stars of the Future, Topps NOW 2020 2.16.20, Topps NOW 2020 2.9.20, TNT XFL 2023 ACQUIRED: In Person, 2023 San Antonio Brahmas v Washington Defenders. IP, 2024 San Antonio Brahmas v Washington Defenders. FAILURE: TTM 2020, C/o The Kansas City Chiefs
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Jordan Ta’Amu played college ball for Ole Miss from 2017-’18.
In 2 years he was 381/591 for 5,600 yards, 30 TDs and 12 picks.
Based on his limited resume at QB he went unselected in the 2019 NFL Draft.
He was a camp arm for the Texans that year for roughly the month of August.
Afterwards he decided to try his hand in the XFL in 2020 and was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks.
He had an exceptional start to his season, showing poise with his arm and opportunistic legs, but before he could finish his season, the XFL ended due to COVID.
Signed with the Chiefs in April of ’20, and was a member of the practice squad through October.
Joined the Lions PS, but was resigned to the Chiefs in ’21 through a futures contract.
Jordan had cups of coffee with the Lions (again), Redskins, and Panthers, before landing with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL in 2022.
He finished as the league’s leader in passing yards (2,014) and TDs (14).
Ta’amu joined the XFL23 as a member of the DC Defenders.
He’d lead the team to the XFL Championship game, throwing for 1,894 yards and 14 TDs.
In August of 2023, he’d again be brought in briefly- this time by the Minnesota Vikings.
As a late addition, Jordan returned to the Defenders for the 2024 season.
He finished with 1,846 yards passing, and 15 TDs- both ranking second in the UFL.
Topps XFL NOW 2020, #11Topps XFL NOW 2020, #7
ACCOLADES:
XFL Offensive Player of the Year 2023
All-XFL 2023
NOTES:
Before the game I had spotted the Ta’Amu family wearing matching jerseys. I keyed in on them figuring that they’d know where to go to be able to get close enough to get his autograph. After the game the Defenders were lingering after their victory so I wandered over to their side and picked up an autograph from Santos Ramirez. The gatekeepers of the Alamodome were getting more aggressive about telling me to leave but I ignored them as long as possible. Santos was shocked he had a card so I gambled he wouldn’t mind slipping over to get Jordan on his base card.
After I secured the autograph much to Santos’ credit, I went outside and found the team busses. His family was waiting outside there and told me that he wouldn’t have a problem signing the rest of my cards if I just hung out long enough. We talked about his career and they told me that he’d hoped to have played closer to Texas than Washington but he was happy to be playing. They all admired his limited print Topps XFL NOW 2020 cards- and when he came out he said hello to them and he signed the remaining cards including an additional one I gifted to my friend Mark- of Mark’s Signing Bonus. A big win for me as Ta’Amu doesn’t sign TTM.
In 2024, the Brahmas first game was against the Defenders at home. I printed out my custom XFL card and was able to get him to sign it before the game started. It was I think the only one I got signed that day, and although disappointed with the lack of a haul I got, I was happy with getting this one gem.
If I’m very lucky maybe I’ll pick up that final short run Topps NOW XFL 2023 (#22) card of him and get him to sign that too but it’s been on and off the market so many times, I’ve forgotten to purchase it.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
