Come back every Tuesday for Recruiting Horror Stories™, athletes' first-hand stories on what can go wrong during the recruiting process.

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It's always hard for parents to see their children move out and go off to college. Mom and Dad would rather see their kid stay close to home but oftentimes they decide to go somewhere far away. Some parents handle this better than others…But Andrea McDonald, mother of NFL running back Alex Collins, took this to a whole other level.

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In 2013, Alex Collins was one of the top high school football recruits in the nation. Collins was a longtime commit to the University of Miami but decided to reopen his recruitment a few months before signing day. Ultimately he chose to play for the University of Arkansas.

This decision was to the dismay of many of his family members who wished for Collins to attend Miami and stay closer to home. However, despite urges from his family to flip his commitment, the eighteen year old running back was firmly set on playing for the Razorbacks. Collins' mother took this news the worst and decided to take matters into her own hands.

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When signing day rolled around Collins' mother confiscated his signing documents and ran away with them. This bizarre turn of events left the sports world in shock and laughs. It took 24 hours for Collins to eventually get his signed paperwork to the Arkansas coaching staff, but some unnecessary drama had definitely occurred.

Although Collins' story is an extreme case, there is still a lot to be learned from it. Parents always want what they believe is best for their children but when it comes to choosing a college the decision is ultimately up to their kid. This is because they are making a life changing choice that is impacting themselves more than anyone else in the end.

As a result, it is important to let your child explore their options and be supportive of their final decision. Learn from what Alex Collins went through and aim to have the best recruiting experience possible.

Have a horror story of your own? Email us at [email protected]

* Originally published on September 6, 2022, by Firoz George