Texas A&M to honor Cedric Collins' scholarship despite career-ending injury

Cedric Collins was so eager to play for Texas A&M, he decided to commit to the Aggies prior to his junior season at Skyline High School. 

Collins received interest from Notre Dame and Nebraska, but decided College Station was the perfect destination for him. The defensive back was excited to start his collegiate career in a Texas A&M uniform, but following a routine defensive play, Collins discovered that he would never play football again. 

During a playoff game in 2012, Collins was blocked by an opponent, and quickly realized something was wrong.

"I lost feeling in my legs," Collins said via The Dallas Morning News. 

Despite believing it was a normal leg injury, X-Rays and an MRI revealed that it was quite the opposite. Following an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon known for assisting athletes with spinal disorders, Collins was diagnosed with Klippel-Feil Sydrome, a "rare congenital fusion of vertebrae."

Collins was immediately informed that his football career was over, and upon informing Texas A&M, Collins' family was told to focus on his health. During a visit to Texas A&M in 2013, head coach Kevin Sumlin informed Collins that the Aggies will honor his scholarship regardless of his injury. 

"He [Sumlin] told us as long as he was at A&M, the education will be taken care of," Collins' father [Cedric Collins Sr.] revealed via The Dallas Morning News.

Collins intends to work with Texas A&M as a student coach, and will focus on receiving his education.