Atlanta Falcons need a focused Jalen Collins in 2016

Jalen Collins has a lot to prove when he returns from his four-game suspension.

The Atlanta Falcons cornerback underwhelmed as a rookie, and frustrations grew when he was slapped with a four-game suspension to start the 2016 season for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances.

Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Collins was expected to come in and compete for a starting job on the outside of Dan Quinn’s defense opposite Desmond Trufant. A slow start to life in the NFL put him immediately behind the eight ball, and it ended as a frustrating rookie campaign for Collins.

It can take time for a young player, particularly at a position like cornerback, to fully adapt to NFL life. It’s certainly unfair to label Collins a bust after just one season, despite the glowing rookie performances of Kansas City’s Marcus Peters and Green Bay’s Damarious Randall.

Yet after such a disappointing debut season, the Falcons would have wanted to see 100 percent commitment on Collins’ part. He needed to show he was willing to do whatever it took to get better, and while he may still prove to do this, missing a quarter of the season through suspension certainly wasn’t in the script.

Collins has a lot to prove in 2016, and it starts with being focused on getting better. There’s no doubting his potential. Entering the league, he was praised for his combination of height, weight and speed, and the Falcons were given many high draft grades for the selection. This was because scouts and analysts saw talent in Collins, although he’s yet been unable to tap into it.

It will be a frustrating start to the season for the second-year player, but his suspension could be a blessing in disguise. Maybe Collins will use the frustration of sitting out to fuel him into staying clean off the field and living up to his potential on it.

Next: Offseason key for Falcons to get in sync

The Falcons made the investment a year ago, now it’s over to Collins.