What Happened To Landon Collins In The First Round?
By Chris Hale
Most of the early projections had former Alabama safety going in the early first round when mock drafts started coming out but lately, he was projected more towards late first-round.
Thursday has come and gone and with it the first-round but no Landon Collins. Why not?
He’s had no off the field issues that would put his character into question although after seeing some of the picks, it seems that the NFL isn’t too worried about that now. He’s a beast on special team coverage and a head hunter in run support. The only issue that most analysts mention is his liability in coverage at times.
I don’t thing it’s anything too major that couldn’t be worked out but that could be why I’m typing this instead of assisting in making front office decisions at an NFL office. It could really be an experience thing as well. He’s learned from the best in college football but he didn’t see the field much at a steady clip until his sophomore year at Alabama. It wasn’t because he wasn’t good but because of the guys in front of him. He moved into the strong safety position right after Vinnie Sunseri’s injury roughly a month and a half into the season so really, Collins only had approximately one and half seasons of solid on the field experience at the strong safety position but also had three starts during that season at the dime back position.
It’s not even an all the time issue. It just happens some of the time but apparently that was enough to have him slide back a bit on the boards of the possible teams. Coach Nick Saban sure doesn’t see a problem at all. “I can’t for the life of me think why he would slide in the draft,” Saban said Thursday on Sirius XM radio per Al.com. “He’s a fine person. He has no character issues. He’s played on some really good defensive teams and has been a great leader so I don’t get it but I don’t know all that goes on there. Some times when you get all the information and it is what it is and people ought to go with that rather than trying to read something into something that really isn’t there.”
Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Landon Collins (26) on the field against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the fourth quarter of the 2015 Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
“The bottom line is that’s why guys get drafted high and they’re not very good and other guys that are really, really good like Landon Collins ― who has been very productive, has great speed, great size, very physical player, has very good ball skills, can play in the really deep part of the field, for a safety he’s a good man-to-man player and can match up on some people because of his size and speed”, Saban said.
All indications are, and I would be really shocked if it’s not the case, is Collins will go early on Friday night. According to NFL.com’s Chase Goodbread, the teams that have a need at safety coming up are the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 36 overall), the Tennessee Titans (No. 33), the Washington Redskins (No. 38), the Chicago Bears (No. 39) and St. Louis Rams (No. 41). Living close to Nashville it would be great for me to have him with the Titans for a short drive to see him play on Sundays. The Redskins with the 38th pick would be awesome for Collins.
“I grew up a Redskins fan,” Collins said on NFL Network per NBC Sports. “I was a big Sean Taylor and Clinton Portis fan. Those were my two favorite players, so I grew up seeing them play for the Redskins, so that would be my dream, to play there.”
He’s still going to get paid and you know, sometimes these things have a way of working out like they should.