Landon Collins and Odell Beckham Jr. were named to NFL.com's All-Under 25 Team
The New York Giants are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL, but they are glad to have two of the game's youngest stars.
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Safety Landon Collins and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., both of whom helped lead Big Blue to an 11-win season in 2016, were recently named to NFL.com’s All-Under 25 Team. The Giants were one of five teams with multiple players on the list, joining the Chargers, Texans, Chiefs and Buccaneers, who led the way with three.
Collins, who turned 23 just two days after the Giants' playoff loss to Green Bay, has started every game since the Giants traded up to select him in the 2015 NFL Draft. He once again led the team in tackles for the season while breaking out with five interceptions, four sacks and 13 passes defensed.
Collins ended 2016 as the only player in NFL history to have 100 or more solo tackles and at least 2.0 sacks, five interceptions and 12 passes defensed in a season. Collins' 125 tackles were the most by a safety in Giants history. Defensive tackle Damon Harrison and Collins were honored with first-team All-Pro recognition, the Giants' first since defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul in 2011.
"Clearly Collins deserves a spot on this team when he not only made seemingly everyone's All-Pro team, but finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting," NFL.com's Elliot Harrison wrote. "Collins' statistical summary is worth marveling at ... 125 tackles, four sacks, five interceptions and a defensive touchdown that won the day in London. Simply put, he was easily the best safety in pro football in 2016. That boy good."
Meanwhile, Beckham led the Giants in receptions (101), receiving yards (1,367) and touchdown catches (10), and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the third time in as many seasons. And he doesn't turn 25 until November.
Beckham is the first Giants player to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons since Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor from 1981-83, and the first to make it in three consecutive seasons since offensive linemen Shaun O'Hara and Chris Snee from 2008-10.
In 2016, Beckham increased his career totals to 288 receptions, 4,122 yards and 35 touchdowns, all of which shatter the previous franchise records for a player in his first three seasons. While he also became the fastest player in NFL history to 3,000 receiving yards, Beckham's 35 touchdown receptions are the most in the NFL since the start of the 2014 season.
NFL.com's All-Under-25 Team
Quarterback: Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Running back: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears
Wide receiver: Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants; Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tight end: Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers
Offensive tackle: Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans; Taylor Decker, Detroit Lions
Guard: Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trai Turner, Carolina Panthers
Center: Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis Colts
Defensive end: Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers; Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings
Defensive tackle: Stephon Tuitt, Pittsburgh Steelers; Leonard Williams, New York Jets
Defensive end/outside linebacker: Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans
Linebacker: Shane Ray, Denver Broncos; Benardrick McKinney, Houston Texans; Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Cornerback: Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs; Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars
Safety: Landon Collins, New York Giants; Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers
Kicker: Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints
Punter: Bradley Pinion, San Francisco 49ers
Returner: Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
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