2015 NFL Draft Matchmaker: Landon Collins
By Erik Lambert
He is the best safety earmarked for the 2015 NFL draft, and it may not even be close. Landon Collins is all alone. The only question is how early will he go and which team will get him. Another question to ask is which team should get him?
Collins is one of those rare safeties. He has the bulk to come down against the run and make tackles but retains the agility and speed to cover lots of ground and affect the passing game. Many scouts are already saying he’s better than Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Mark Barron, the two previous Alabama safeties to go in the 1st round of the draft. A big part of the reason is his development but also his versatility. He does everything asked of him on the field, which is a lot.
His biggest nitpick comes from occasional lapses in coverage. Scouts believe it’s due to lagging instincts but that can come with time and experience. Being such a natural at the position will make it easier for him. Remember, he didn’t become a starter until this year so he’s still learning the position. The bottom line is somebody is going to take him on talent alone. So which team could pull the maximum benefit of landing his services?
Chicago Bears
Think about this. Some of the best Chicago Bears defenses in history had Pro Bowl safeties. The 2010 unit with Chris Harris. The 2005 unit with Mike Brown. The fabled 1985 unit with Gary Fencik. Somehow the Bears have gone from those great players to Chris Conte and Ryan Mundy. Not exactly an upgrade.
Due to that development, the defense has been victimized over the past few weeks by the likes of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. They have to go about rebuilding their secondary with actual talent and Landon Collins is the next step. They grabbed Kyle Fuller at corner this year, a pick that is looking good. Putting a safety behind him could give the Bears a potential combination of their own similar to Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman.
It would make life so much easier on their defensive line as well. The key will be whether Chicago is high enough in the 2015 NFL draft to have a shot.