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Should The Baltimore Ravens Trade Up For Landon Collins?

By William Brittain

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The NFL draft is edging its way ever nearer and analysts and fans alike have been chipping in with their thoughts on who will be taken by the Ravens with the 26th overall pick.  I think it is as good a time as any to discuss an unlikely yet intriguing possibility:  the Ravens trading up and going after Alabama safety Landon Collins.

It is generally agreed that Collins is the best Safety in this year’s draft class and is predicted by most to be a mid-first round pick. Teams like the Chiefs, Eagles and Steelers are all likely to be very interested in taking him, leaving the Ravens without much of a chance unless they trade up. So is Collins worth it? Well, maybe…

Collins is not a polished product and won’t be a ball hawk but should be able to match up very well as a strong safety that can patrol the middle of the field. He has proven he can do well in man coverage against running backs and can certainly lay the lumber on slot receivers. He has been beaten by speedy receivers on occasion and could potentially give up some big plays, though Collins has shown an ability to come back and make a big play of his own.

One of the biggest upsides of going after Collins could be reuniting him with Alabama teammate C.J. Mosley. It is no secret that Ozzie Newsome likes Bama products and Collins is typical of the Crimson Tide. Mosley had instant success with the Ravens and bringing in Collins to solidify the effort could set the tone for the defense for years to come. Could Mosley and Collins be as successful a combination as Bobby Wagner and Kam Chancellor?

Landon Collins could make the Ravens even better against the run and has the personality to be a great fit in Baltimore but the price, in reality, is probably is too steep.

Moving up anywhere in the draft comes at a price and doing it in the first round can often come back to bite teams in future years. Ozzie and Co. have a system in the draft and moving up is not a part of it, especially for a position where recent picks have been spent on Elam and Brooks, players the team will not want to give up on just yet.

Also it looks like Will Hill has been challenged by John Harbaugh to be more responsible off the field and is probably the future at SS in the Ravens secondary.

All in all this is probably  just a pipe dream of a Mosley and Collins highlight reel behind a defensive line that will stay strong for years to come, though the draft always has surprises and you never know… (Well, with Ozzie Newsome sometimes you do, but anyway, I can dream).

Next: Don't expect the Ravens to be active early in free agency

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