As we slowly approach the kick-off the 2015 NFL season, it’s time to set the bar for certain players. In this case, it’s rookie safety Landon Collins who was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Giants stole Collins and found a way to replace veteran Antrel Rolle which is the plan at the moment. We won’t really get a glimpse of Collins until pre-season starts, but we all have certain expectations for the Louisiana native.
The young man has some big shoes to fill not just on the field, but off the field as well. Rolle was one of the leaders on the defensive unit and Collins needs to prove that. The expectations that are falling on Collins are not easy, everyone knows he has the talent, but does he have the mindset?
With new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo at the helm, he needs Collins to be a vocal leader and believes that could take some time. It all takes time for rookies to adjust, but Collins’ situation is slightly different because he has no time. He needs to step up to the plate and show Spagnuolo why the Giants selected him.
As far as his talent, Collins is NFL ready and some wandered why he fell to the second round. Collins has a slight problem playing deep coverage, but other than that, Collins should be good to go. If he doesn’t get injured, then Collins is mostly likely starting. Collins never missed a game in his college career at Alabama.
Collins has no problem filling in shoes and his past has proven that, but New York is always tough. The expectations for Collins have been set by everyone, even the coaching staff. Rolle showed that he was a leader in the locker room, so that’s what Collins needs to do.
Collins needs to find his voice and make it loud for his teammates to listen, that’s what Rolle did. The back-end play on defense is all about communication so the inexperience is naturally the biggest challenge for Collins and the rest of the secondary. It will be fun to see how he does in his rookie season.
Next: New York Giants: 8 realistic free agent possibilities