Landon Collins New York Giants Press Conference

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Landon Collins New York Giants Press Conference: Safety Landon Collins, who was drafted with the first pick in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, addressed the media on Saturday. A video of the press conference is available at Giants.com.

Q:  Is it exciting to be here?

A: Yes, very exciting.

Q: What was it like to walk in here and see everything?

A: It is a dream come true. Walking in here and finally having your name called and to be at the facility that you are going to be playing at for the next few years it is just a dream come true. You always dreamed of this moment, so when it actually happens a sigh of relief takes place.

Q: What have the last 24 hours been like for you?

A: It has been crazy. I haven’t gotten that much sleep. I tried to celebrate, but I couldn’t really celebrate because I had to get up for an early flight to get up here. It has been fantastic. It is a great feeling. To visit here and be here is fantastic.

Q: Have you had any conversations with the coaches at the Combine and up to now and what were they able to tell you about you might fit in here?

A: Last time I talked to the coaches was at the Combine. We talked and had a good conversation. We talked for about fifteen minutes at the Combine. We had a good conversation and they felt confident in me I guess.

Q: Have you had a chance to experience the city at all?

A: This is my first time in New Jersey or New York. I am definitely going to try to experience it when I get out here.

Q: Can you talk about the physical nature of your game?

A: That is how I play the game. That is my passion for the game to make sure I make plays on the ball and be around it and make sure I make the tackle and make sure they don’t score. That is just how I am. I always try to make plays and make physical plays as much as possible. You make a physical play you knock the ball out or cause a fumble or you knock the ball out of the receiver’s hands when they try to catch it. That is my type of game.

Q: How does your size play into that?

A: Size came along with it. I couldn’t help that. I kept continuing to work and try to build my strength and my arm size and chest and speed and everything else came along with it.

Q: Did the perception that you might be a ‘box safety’ bother you?

A: Yes, sir, it did. I played in the box at Alabama, but I was a safety. It was not an in the box safety. I played free, strong and played our money position, which was our fifth [defensive back] on the field. [I] was not just an in the box safety.

Q: Did you hear that during the process from actual teams?

A: It was just the outside noise. Teams said I played a lot in the box, but once they saw me play this past year in the deep middle and then they had total confidence in me.

Q: Number 26 was important to you? Did you ask for 26 here?

A: Yes sir. I am going to talk to the equipment manager and ask him for it.

Q: Sean Taylor wore 26 and that was your guy?

A: Yes sir.

Q: What do you know about Antrel Rolle?

A: He’s a big safety too. He’s fast and a great guy. He knows the game very well.

Q: Do you know him at all?

A: Not really.

Q: You’re trying to replace Rolle. What kind of pressure is that for you?

Landon Collins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

A: I came into a lot of places. I came from Dutchtown. I came in right after Eric Reid. Going into Alabama I came in after Mark Barron and HaHa Clinton-Dix and Vinny Sunserry. I had plenty of big shoes to fill, so I’m going to definitely fulfill those shoes and keep it going.

Q: Have you had any conversations with the safeties drafted from Alabama about what to expect?

A: Not really. I talked to Eddie (Lacy). I talked to Ha-Ha. I haven’t talked to Mark yet. I talked to Robert Meachem. Nick Toon; all of those guys. They congratulated me and they told me to be ready.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice that one of them gave you?

A: Don’t lose the drive that you had back in college and high school.

Q: What were they telling you after the first round when you weren’t drafted?

A: Just keep my head up and the first round and second round stuff doesn’t mean anything because once you get into the pros and you show the teams what you’re able to do you’re going to be great.

Q: What do you feel you need to show the coaches moving forward?

A: I’m going to show them I’m an all-around safety. That’s all I can say.

Q: Do you feel you’ll be ready to play right away?

A: Yes.

Q: You feel you’ll be able to start?

A: Yes.

Q: What has made you prepared to start as a rookie?

A: Alabama prepared me for that. Being under Coach Saban, he doesn’t coach as freshmen, he coaches us as juniors and he puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulder as an 18 year old. I have the upmost respect for him because of that. Going through that process it helped 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. Definitely the school and coach Saban have helped me a long way with that.

Q: You’ve done a lot of traveling that last 48 hours. Are you going back home and then coming back for the rookie mini camp?

A: Yes. I’m going to head back home and then come back up.

Q: Are you tired?

A: No. I’m just ready to go start working out again. I’ve been off for three days because I was in Chicago. As soon as I touch back down I can go back working out and get ready for the rookie mini camp.

Giants.com Interview with S Landon Collins: A video of a Giants.com interview with S Landon Collins on Saturday is available at Giants.com.