Hominy High School Hosts NFL Draft Watch Party For Hometown Star Zaven Collins

The Hominy community held a watch party for the NFL Draft and celebrates one of their own Zaven Collins who was just drafted in the first round.

Thursday, April 29th 2021, 10:46 pm

By: Chinh Doan

HOMINY, Oklahoma -

Former University of Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins is going to be an Arizona Cardinal. The Hominy native was the 16th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night.

Hominy High School, where Collins played football and helped his team to a state championship in 2016, hosted a watch party for the draft.

More than 100 people of all ages gathered to watch, wondering where Collins will go next. While Collins and some of his family were at a private party, Collins' father, aunt, brother and grandfather, Frank Hudson, were at the high school.

News on 6’s Chinh Doan spoke with Collins’ grandfather and brother just moments after they learned Collins was going to be a Cardinal.

His family said it's been a humbling experience.

“Words cannot express the way I feel right now about Zaven and where he’s at. He has earned this for the way he carried himself as a young man. And I’m so proud of him, I really am," Hudson said.

Hudson said the former Golden Hurricane has come a long way since his time in Hominy. Collins was raised by a single mom and played all kinds of sports, but football is where he always shone.

With several national awards under his belt, he's become a hometown hero.

“That’s probably just about the biggest deal that’s ever happened here in Hominy, and I’ve known Zaven for many, many years, and we’re all proud of what he’s doing, and it’s something really special," 85-year-old resident HT 'Red' Owens said.

“It takes a lot of hard work. Four years of just effort," Shane Brown, Hominy senior and quarterback said. "I mean, Zaven, he came from Hominy. He wasn’t always the biggest, but he shot up, and it’s just inspiring.”

Many people wore t-shirts sporting Collins' high school number 13 and the number 23 for his time at TU. Proceeds from the shirts go to support Hominy's football program.