ASHBURN, Va. — In the center of Landon Collins’ dining room table in his North Bergen, N.J. home was an odd piece of memorabilia – odd, at least, for a New York Giant.
The Washington Redskins helmet had a mouthpiece hanging from it. The yellow facemask was carefully decorated with bands of white tape.
That helmet sat on that dining room table for four years, representing everything Collins wanted to be.
When Collins started playing safety at Dutchtown High School in Geismar, La., he emulated Redskins great Sean Taylor, and he started thinking about one day playing for the Redskins as Taylor had. Before the 2015 draft, Collins was asked which team he’d like to be taken by on NFL Network’s Path to the Draft. He said playing for the Redskins would be “his dream.”
The Redskins passed on him in Round One. The Giants traded up to take him with the first pick of the second round.
Collins experienced four head coaches, two general…
