Landon Collins

If anyone can catch Budda Baker as the top defensive back IDP, then Collins might be the best candidate. He's produced as an elite IDP in the secondary in each of his five NFL seasons, providing well over a triple-digit tackle pace in all of them. After making 117 tackles in 999 snaps last year (15 games), his first with Washington, it's safe to say Collins' big numbers with the Giants weren't just the product of the system. His tackle rate from last year would have projected to 125 tackles if he hadn't missed Week 17, and it's probably fair to expect a similar tackle rate going forward. Free-agent signing Sean Davis is more of a free safety, assuring Collins continued quick access to ballcarriers.

It's anyone's guess whether the conditions in Washington will be as favorable as those in New York, where Collins' tackle rate was outrageous to the point that he could withstand a heavy decline and still comfortably rank in the top 5 among DBs. He's been uneven with regard to playmaking stats otherwise, showing high sack and interception upside in 2016 (four and five, respectively) while failing to produce in the categories his other three years. A vicious Washington pass rush figures to give Collins more ballhawking opportunities than he's previously seen.

While Collins checks in at No. 3 on this list, there's not a meaningful distinction between him, Jones and Neal. Collins missed out on a third straight season with 110-plus tackles, only because ankle and forearm injuries knocked down his play count by about 200 from previous years. So long as he's healthy, Collins will be a candidate to surge back toward the 120-tackle threshold, and the arrival of impressive defensive coordinator James Bettcher does nothing to lessen the anticipation.

If Reshad Jones wasn't in the top spot, Collins would be the clear choice. He finished last season as the top IDP scorer among DBs, and likely would have held the distinction even if Jones had been fully healthy. Collins' 125 tackles, four sacks and five interceptions gave him one of the all-time best box scores for a defensive back. Regression is all but assured, and yet Collins could give up a big chunk of last year's production and still contend for the top spot. With 237 tackles in his first two seasons, Collins figures to produce at an elite level for a long time.

The Giants defense was a mess last year and Collins will likely never be an asset in coverage, but his IDP profile heading into Year 2 is very encouraging. His tackle upside is convincing after posting 112 (84 solo) on 1,093 snaps, both because it's consistent with the skill set he showed in college at Alabama, as well as because a similar snap count remains within reach in 2016. The Giants have a pair of youngsters added to their safety rotation in rookie third-round pick Darian Thompson and second-year fifth-round pick Nat Berhe, but neither has seen the field in the NFL.

A second-round draft pick, Collins is all but guaranteed a starting job, making him a much less risky IDP investment than most would assume of a rookie. The Giants were comically thin at safety before trading up to draft Collins and plan to use him immediately. A classic strong safety, Collins' skills fit best in the box, where he should have plenty of tackle opportunities in a division with two of the league's most run-heavy teams (Philadelphia and Dallas). The Giants allowed a league-high 4.9 yards per carry last year, meaning plenty of runners should slip into the secondary.