Before injury cut his career short, Packers DB Nick Collins was headed for Canton

The Green Bay Packers have really had some great defensive backs over their history. Herb Adderley, Willie Wood, Bobby Dillon, LeRoy Butler and Charles Woodson are some of the great names throughout Green Bay history. 

One name that should never be forgotten is Nick Collins. Collins was the defensive equivalent of star wide receiver Sterling Sharpe. He was an amazing player who had his career cut short due to injury, which is tough to swallow considering that, like Sharpe, Collins was on a trajectory toward Canton, Ohio, site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The superstar safety was drafted out of Bethune-Cookman in the second round with pick No. 51 in 2005. He played just seven seasons with Green Bay before ending his career early due to concerns over a severe neck injury. While his time on the gridiron was short-lived, Collins was dominant in his time defending center field for the Packers. 

He set a career-high in tackles as a rookie with 86, along with a career-high three quarterback hits. The prime of his career ran from 2008 until 2010. Collins was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls and three consecutive Second-Team All-Pro rosters. His best season came in 2008 when he recorded a career-high seven interceptions, a career-high 15 passes defensed and 72 tackles. He followed that season up with six interceptions and 13 passes defensed in 2009. 

In the team's Super Bowl season of 2010, Collins added 12 passes defensed and four total interceptions, including a pick-six in the team's Super Bowl win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He and the Hall of Famer Woodson formed an elite defensive back duo for five seasons. No. 36 started all 95 games that he played in while wearing green and gold.

The Florida native recorded 21 interceptions in his career with a ridiculous 507 return yards on interceptions. He added over 420 tackles and nearly 70 passes defensed in that time. He was a cornerstone piece of the Green Bay Packers for his entire seven-year career. 

The legend later secured his rightful place in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2016. 

It was a short career sadly, but it was also a very impressive one.