It's interesting when you study the account in the gospels:
Matthew 27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. 33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
Mark 15:20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. 21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. 22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.
Luke 23:26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
John 19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
Matthew and Mark both mention that Simon beared Jesus's cross, and Luke clearly tells us that the cross was laid on Simon, and yet John says nothing of Simon, nor needs to, for the other gospels record the account.
When you put them all together you find that "they" (likely being the Roman soldiers) laid hold upon Simon and laid the cross of Jesus upon him that he might bear if "after" Jesus, so Jesus was in front of him. There is no mention in the account of Jesus 'collapsing', but the likely conclusion is that he wasn't able to carry the cross because of sheer exhaustion, so they grabbed Simon to do it for him.
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