Landon Collins possibly slipping to #25?

[gettlemanjack]

Post-Combine SPARQ Rankings: Safeties

http://3sigmaathlete.com/2015/04/07/post-combine-sparq-rankings-safeties/

[gettlemanjack]

Charlie Campbell on Landon Collins:

4/8/15: In speaking with sources, they feel spending a top-20 pick on Collins is too rich and view him more as a late first-rounder. Some teams have graded Collins in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. ... He is not a safety who can isolate in man coverage on slot receivers or tight ends."

http://walterfootball.com/draft2015bigboard.php

[MadHatter]

Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball's March 23 mock has Landon Collins going #29, writing: "Collins (6-0, 215) is a physical strong safety who is good in the box and the short part of the field. He isn't a one-on-one pass-coverage safety ... Ole Miss picked on him repeatedly and burned him for two touchdowns. Auburn had success throwing at Collins as well."

http://walterfootball.com/draft2015charlie_1.php

 

Sounds a lot like Mark Barron (another Alabama safety taken in the first round).....and he sucks in the NFL.

[Panthro]

I hope he slips to 26

[bababoey]

If someone wanted to turn him into Thomas Davis he could be really good.  But at safety idk.

[stirs]

Somebody like NE might take him and try to use him in creative ways, but I seen him dropping to the second round

[gettlemanjack]

Pro Football Focus:

Rightfully viewed as a box safety. What he won’t be is a safety that will excel in coverage.

BOX SAFETY:

Truth be told, I was a bit disappointed in his tape in this area; I came in hoping to see more of the heat-seeking missile trait I had heard so much about. What I found was a player eager to join the play but one who did so fairly often in a much more careful manner as opposed to the image I had pictured.

COVERAGE

A weakness. When put in situations where he needs to turn and run or otherwise chase a route, the hitch in his athleticism crops up. He’s not smooth in that transition and his angles need to improve, often coming at routes in a flat, cross-field path. At the combine his 3-cone and short shuttle were among the worst. Targeted 58 times in coverage, he allowed 37 completions (both among the 10 highest figures for safeties in this class) for a 63.8 completion percentage allowed that 83 safeties exceeded

PROJECTION

Somewhere in the back half of the first round for some, while the others will be looking at him on Day 2.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/04/13/cff-player-profile-landon-collins-s/

[bababoey]

The more you watch him the more he looks just like Roy Williams from Oklahoma.  Big hitter and solid tackler who takes bad angles and can't cover. 

[gettlemanjack]

CBS (Rang) has Landon Collins going #29 in his lastest (April 12) mock "because he's better in run support than coverage, he's susceptible to a fall on draft day."

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25146820/nfl-mock-draft-new-york-adds-jet-fuel-with-mariota-dorsett

In Sept 2014, CBS (Brugler), had Collins going #6 overall, writing:

"#6. Washington Redskins -- Alabama FS (<--LOL) Landon Collins:

In the 2004 NFL Draft , Washington drafted one of the best safety prospects of the last 20 years fifth overall (Sean Taylor). And they might have a chance to do it again with Collins, who is as well-rounded as they come with his ability to play both the run and the pass (LOL)."

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24700474/nfl-draft-pac-12s-mariota-williams-headline-updated-mock-draft

[uscgamecocks]

I like him more than Jaelen strong in the first. Which is to say I'll be very upset if either of those two are picked by the panthers in the first round.

If a top OT or WR (or Gurley) doesn't fall we should draft the best pass rusher available. That would do more to help our defense than drafting the next Mark Barron.

[gettlemanjack]

Greg Cosell of NFL Films:

"I think [safety] Damarious Randall is a better prospect than Landon Collins. He's a better mover. He can do more. ... I, personally, based on my film study don't see Landon Collins as an interchangeable safety with multi-dimensional skills."

http://www.phillymag.com/birds247/2015/04/14/draft-daily-asu-safety-damarious-randall/

[gettlemanjack]

"this is [serious] concern about his actual play...Collins is a tremendous liability in assisting coverage. He’s inconsistent in when in coverage by himself as well ... Collins has. a hard time recovering when he’s beat as well, with average (at best) recovery speed.

...

The question is whether he should go in the first round and while he is rated there by many, there should be some [serious] concern."

http://fansided.com/2015/04/13/2015-nfl-draft-8-overrated-prospects-bust/2/

[gettlemanjack]

Alabama paper, March 27, 2015

Collins' viability in coverage is one of the biggest question marks heading into the NFL draft, ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper said during a conference call Thursday.

"Landon Collins is a guy that you would think could be a first round pick to maybe the Steelers [who hold the 22nd overall pick]," Kiper said. "Maybe drop him down a little bit further than that. The concern's going to be coverage."

...

"He's, I think, a system safety, and he's an in-the-box guy, and he shows up at the right place at the right time an awful lot in a lot of games. Is he deserving of being a first? Yes. Do some people think he should be more of a two? Yes. But if you need a safety, and this is not a good year for safeties ... so I think Collins goes in the late first."

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2015/03/landon_collins_pass_coverage_a.html

[gettlemanjack]

CBS (Rang) has Landon Collins going #29 in his lastest (April 12) mock "because he's better in run support than coverage, he's susceptible to a fall on draft day."

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25146820/nfl-mock-draft-new-york-adds-jet-fuel-with-mariota-dorsett

In Sept 2014, CBS (Brugler), had Collins going #6 overall, writing:

"#6. Washington Redskins -- Alabama FS (<--LOL) Landon Collins:

In the 2004 NFL Draft , Washington drafted one of the best safety prospects of the last 20 years fifth overall (Sean Taylor). And they might have a chance to do it again with Collins, who is as well-rounded as they come with his ability to play both the run and the pass (LOL)."

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24700474/nfl-draft-pac-12s-mariota-williams-headline-updated-mock-draft

*********************************************************

in his latest mock (Apr 12), Brugler also has Landon going #29:

29. Indianapolis Colts -- Landon Collins, SS, Alabama: Veteran strong safety Mike Adams (undrafted) had a better than expected 2014 season and recently re-signed with the Colts, but he is 34 years old and Indianapolis has little depth behind him.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25146836/nfl-mock-draft-titans-kick-off-round-two-with-a-talented-receiver

Indianapolis Star in February:

"The Colts need to – arguably have to – address safety in April's

NFL draft ... They've cut starting free safety LaRon Landry. Starting strong safety Mike Adams turns 34 next month ... So, yeah, the Colts need a couple of safeties."

note: since then, Colts signed FS Dwight Lowery (who was the starting FS for the Falcons last year) to a one-year, $950,000 contract, but like Rotoworld wrote: "Lowery's signing won't prevent the Colts from upgrading their secondary in the draft."

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/02/23/insider-colts-afford-pass-safeties/23886873/