Falcons second-round pick Jalen Collins had a rough day at practice on Thursday.
Collins, who missed most of the offseason while recovering from foot surgery, is still getting used to the speed of the pro game.
Collins struggled in one-on-one drills.
Wide receiver Leonard Hankerson beat Collins on a deep ball. He was also beaten by Devin Hester on a double-move route, too.
He got chastised after slapping the ball after giving up a reception in the 11-on-11 situation drill. The coaches had to explain to them he could cost the team a penalty.
“The main thing is all of the outside guys have to believe that they can win,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “We have a lot of sassy, stylish and unique (wide receivers). We have tall guys, long and short. The whole gamut, we have it. He’s battling every day. He has to keep coming back.”
Two seasons ago, rookies Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford had similar days during training camp.
“We are trying to see what Jalen (Collins) can do,” Quinn said. “We are trying to see what Dez (Southward) can do. They didn’t play a lot for us in the spring. Who’s going to move inside to play nickel? As we are getting started, the competition there is real. Each day is a good time to evaluate those guys.”
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