New York Giants: Landon Collins better suited as a linebacker?

New York Giants rookie safety Landon Collins had an up-and-down season in coverage, despite being a strong tackler. Would he be better suited at linebacker?

When the New York Giants traded up and selected Alabama’s in the second round of the draft, they knew they were getting a talented, physical, hard-working player.

What they didn’t know, however, was how Collins would fare in pass coverage.

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With players like Nat Berhe, Bennett Jackson and Mykkele Thompson sustaining injuries in the preseason, Collins was forced to start all 16 games out of position at free safety.

He was consistently exploited, as opposing quarterbacks wisely exposed his pass-coverage deficiencies. He was shaky at best. Collins made an impact as a tackler and in the run game, though, racking up a team-high 112 tackles.

There’s certainly room for Collins to improve in coverage, and getting a legitimate free safety for Collins to learn from would tremendously boost his development.

With a new head coach at the helm, is it possible that Collins makes the conversion to linebacker?

Well, if the Giants decided to convert him, they have some great blueprints to follow. Deone Bucannon and Thomas Davis are the two best examples of former safeties who made the switch to being ‘undersized’ linebackers.

Bucannon and Davis are only the most successful examples, however, as other safeties have made the switch. Former Miami standout Ray Ray Armstrong was a phenomenal strong safety in college, but he ultimately switched to outside linebacker in the pros.

Mark Barron, another former member of the Crimson Tide, has also switched over from safety, and I think that’s probably the outcome the Giants would get from switching Collins from safety to outside linebacker. Barron had the benefit of playing in his natural position of strong safety during the first juncture of his career.

He immediately made a name for himself as a hard-hitting, tone-setting safety, which is exactly what Collins is. Barron is a bit taller than Collins, but Collins is thicker and bigger.

I like Collins as a linebacker in sub-packages, and he’s definitely a safety who sees his best work around the line of scrimmage.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo liked blitzing Collins, and the rookie was effective in that role. He’s got power, speed and aggression.

But that doesn’t mean he would be a great linebacker. A few days after the Giants traded up to draft Collins, my friend said he thought the rookie would play linebacker right away, to which I responded by saying if the Giants wanted a rookie who could start at linebacker, they would’ve just taken a linebacker.

I’m sticking with that stance, mostly because it’s still true. The Giants wouldn’t have traded up to draft Collins if they wanted him at linebacker, especially with true, pure linebackers like Benardrick McKinney, Denzel Perryman (love him), Eric Kendricks (awesome) and Hau’oli Kikaha (great pass rusher) still available.

The Giants also invested a lot of money — mostly because of Jerry Reese‘s failed drafts — in the outside linebacker position last offseason, spending more than $15 million on J.T. Thomas and Jonathan Casillas. Thomas played relatively well and brought energy to the field whenever he played. Devon Kennard, who is perpetually battling injuries, can be a real difference-maker if he can stay healthy. The Giants are staying with their 4-3 scheme, so it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to move a high-draft pick to a different position that he won’t start at.

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If the Giants were to move Collins to linebacker, I don’t think they would see him as the Mike, even though he possesses the leadership and football intelligence necessary for the position.

Collins is still young, and he played out of position last year next to a revolving door of mediocre players — Brandon Meriweather, Cooper Taylor and Craig Dahl. I think it’s far too early to pull the plug on Collins’ tenure at safety.

Verdict: Keep him at strong safety, sign a free safety in free agency

I believe Collins has the work ethic to improve his play recognition, as well as the desire to become a premiere safety in the NFL. He needs help, though. New York needs to bring in a talented free safety so Collins can bump back over to his natural position. If after next year Collins is still a liability in pass coverage, then it’s time to move him to linebacker. But for now, let the kid get better.