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Scouting the Ravens' No. 26 spot: Jalen Collins

The Baltimore Ravens hold the No. 26 pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Over the next two weeks, the Ravens blog will take a quick look at 10 prospects who might be available and be a fit for Baltimore at that spot. We wrap up the first week by examining a raw but talented cornerback:

Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

Chances he's available at No. 26: There's a fairly decent shot. Collins should land somewhere in the second half of the first round and could slide into the early part of the second round. It really depends on how the cornerback-needy teams in the 20s rank the top defensive backs. Collins could rank anywhere from the second-best corner on some draft boards to the fifth-best. Among the six teams picking immediately in front of the Ravens, four might take a cornerback: the Eagles (No. 20), Steelers (No. 22), Lions (No. 23) and Panthers (No. 25).

Why he'd be a good pick for the Ravens: Collins offers as much upside as any corner in this draft after Michigan State's Trae Waynes. He's extremely talented with the coveted combination of height (6-foot-1), length and speed for his size. Collins excels at man coverage, which is what the Ravens mainly play. His bulk makes him the prototypical press corner. Collins is disciplined in coverage and physical in run support. He has all the traits to be a No. 1 corner.

Why he wouldn't: There is a risk because this is projection pick. He only made 10 starts in college. There were reports of minor conflicts with the LSU coaches that dropped him to nickelback on the depth chart. Collins underwent surgery recently to repair a fracture in his right foot. He said he should be able to participate in rookie minicamps next month.

Stat to note: Collins allowed only a 40.9 percent completion rate on 44 passes thrown at him last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Extra point: Collins tells the SEC Network about his recovery from foot surgery and why he should be selected in the first round.