Landon Collins joins New York Giants in the second round of the NFL draft

The New York Giants traded up to the top spot in the second round of the NFL draft to bring in Alabama defensive back Landon Collins in a move to shore up their defense.

The Giants sent their second, fourth and their second pick in the seventh round to the Tennesse Titans for the right to move up seven spots and open the round on Friday night.

Collins, who weighs 228 pounds, was widely considered one of the best safeties in the draft and was projected as a first-round pick by many.

When he wasn't among the first 32 players chosen, he left Chicago and returned to his family home in New Orleans.

"I have a chip on my shoulder to prove I was a first-round candidate," Collins said, "Definitely, I'm very motivated. Yesterday was a disappointment for me missing out on the first round, but other than that, I’ll use it as a stepping stone and use it as motivation to showcase that I’m ready and ready to play and ready to step on the field and do what I’ve been doing since I was playing at four years old."

The Giants finished 29th overall on defense and Collins is a perfect fit shore up the back line of the secondary that gave up way too many big plays last term.

They lost Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown to free agency and they only had two young inexperienced players on the roster, Nat Berhe and Cooper Taylor.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys took Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory with the 60th overall pick in the draft.

Gregory was another player considered a first-round talent but dropped to the second round Friday night after testing positive for marijuana at the NFL combine in February.

Asked about the failed drug test after getting drafted, Gregory said, "it is in the past." He then added, "Me and the Cowboys, we are going to take over this league."