Alabama Crimson Tide

Giants are counting on big things from Landon Collins and he's ready for the challenge

Published May. 20, 2015 10:01 a.m. ET

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High expectations and pressure-packed situations are nothing for New York Giants rookie safety Landon Collins. The Giants expect Collins to take over a starter in 2015, and they also expect him to be the leader of the secondary who helps call defensive plays and correct defensive alignments. Answering a demanding request is nothing for Collins because he has experienced it before at both the high school and collegiate levels.

I've been filling big shoes since I was in high school," Collins told Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. Filling big shoes is not anything new to me."

Immediately after graduating from high school and signing to play with Alabama, Collins was once again tossed into a role that required a lot from him.

"Being under coach (Nick) Saban he puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulder as an 18-year-old," Collins told Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. "Going through that process, it helped me a lot because it made me a man, the person, the player and the leader that I am today, and a smart player knowing the game."

According to new Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, it didn't take long for Collins' positive attitude to shine during the team's rookie minicamp.

"They come here initially and they're feeling their way through," Spagnuolo told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post ."They don't really want to say anything. But by the time we got to that last team period, Landon was moving people around and directing. So if he can keep doing that every day, I think we'll have exactly what we thought we had when we took him.''

Collins' assertiveness is exactly what the Giants had hoped they would see when they moved up in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft to ensure that they landed him.

"This guy is going to bring an attitude and maturity, not only to our defensive backfield, but to the whole defense," Marc Ross, the Giants' vice president of player evaluation, told Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News "This guy will be a leader for us. He was that for Alabama."

Collins was disappointed that he slipped out of the first round, but the fact that the Giants traded multiple draft picks to trade up and draft him had a positive impact on Collins' mindset.

"They expect a lot out of me. To do that, I have to come in and play my heart out. For them to do that for me, it gives me a lot of respect to do my best."

Collins may not open May 26th's OTAs as a starter, but it won't be long before he claims one of the two vacant starting safety spots.

(h/t Everything Alabama)

Photo Credit: Marvin Gentry/USA TODAY Sports

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