Alabama Football: With QB Signed, Safety Landon Collins Is Saban's New Target

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) The Alabama fans may be breathing a sigh of relief now that Alabama has signed a quarterback for the upcoming class, but for Nick Saban, the work has never slowed down in landing the prospects he wants signed up this past month. And one of the big fish he wants has it just about narrowed down to Alabama and LSU.

That player is one of the nation's top players and perhaps one of the top two safeties in the country, Landon Collins from Dutchtown High School in Geismar, Louisiana.

And he was on campus with Coach Saban for all four days of a summer camp held last month, and Saban gave him lots of attention during his stay, even letting the prized recruit run some drills for the other recruits.

All this attention and so forth is what the recruits talk about when they say a coach was "showing them the love."

But there was a lot more to the visit than Saban trying to win over Collins. Collins got to really spend some time on campus with other Louisiana players, including former teammate Eddie Lacy who all worked Collins a bit too and showed him how good life was in Tuscaloosa.

He also got to spend some time getting to know the other coaches on staff and spent some time with them.

With both Robert Lester and Mark Barron leaving after this season, safety is a main concern of Saban, and someone of Collins' abilities could step in and step up and get significant playing time as a freshman.

That speaks not only to Collins' physical ability, but also to the fact that he can grasp different defenses and situations so well. That ability has been shown since the end of his last year's football season, and the rewards and trophies have followed.

At "The Opening," a national football seven on seven tournament in Oregon that showcased some of the best of the best, Collins stock shot up significantly. He was clearly the hottest athlete on the field and was aptly named both the overall and seven on seven tournament MVP.

In addition, he won the SPARQ national championship SPARQ measures an athletes overall attributes and physical abilities in many different areas.To win that championship places a player in the forefront of college football recruiting.

The 6' 202-pound safety is now in that position and while everyone including, Florida, Texas, USC, Georgia, Auburn, LSU, Alabama and more have him as a prime target. Can Saban land this one?

According to Collins, you'll have to wait until after the Under Armour All American Game to find out.