Zyon McCollum NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Sam Houston CB

AP Photo/Butch Dill

HEIGHT: 6’2 1/8″

WEIGHT: 199

HAND: 9″

ARM: 30 3/4″

WINGSPAN: 6’1 3/4″

40-YARD DASH: 4.33

3-CONE: 6.48

SHUTTLE: 3.94

VERTICAL: 39.5″

BROAD: 11’0″

POSITIVES

— Explosive player with outstanding size for the position. Fluid athlete who has the ability to run and carry receivers downfield.

— Ball hawk who attacks the ball in the air with strong hands. Has shown the skills to pluck the ball out of the sky.

— Secure tackler who shoots through the legs of ball-carriers.

NEGATIVES

— Lack of strength can show up when taking on blocks and tackling.

— Needs better consistency in his press technique. Feet and eyes aren’t synced up, while also opening the gate.

2021 STATISTICS

12 G, 50 TOT, 2 TFL, 3 INT, 5 PD

NOTES

— 2021 third-team All-America (AP).

— 13 interceptions in career.

— Senior Bowl invite.

— Combine invite.

— 10.0 Relative Athletic Score. The highest score of any cornerback in the last 35 years. 

OVERALL

Zyon McCollum is an athletic cornerback from Sam Houston at the FCS level. He has an excellent 6’2″, 199-pound frame that will be intriguing for most scouts. He has shown to be a smooth runner with great body control and ability to change direction, which he confirmed at the combine with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, a 6.48-second three-cone drill and a 3.94-second short shuttle.

McCollum has the versatility needed to play in multiple coverages, but he mostly aligned in press coverage at Sam Houston. Though he can be slow with his feet at times, he has the hip fluidity to open and run with receivers, matching their breaks. McCollum also does a good job of being physical and using his hands to control and disrupt receivers down the field. He’s a ball hawk who attacks the ball with short and medium routes, but he can be inconsistent finding and playing the ball downfield.

McCollum does a good job of supporting the run, making quick reads and beating blockers to the spot. He has shown the willingness to shoot gaps and meet ball-carriers in the backfield. A secure tackler, McCollum does a good job of shooting through the legs of ball-carriers and chopping them down. At times, his lack of strength can show up in both tackling and when taking on blockers. For his size, he doesn’t always deliver the blow you would like him to, and he can often choose to take the easy way around blocks.

Ultimately, McCollum is a great prospect from the FCS level. With 13 career interceptions across 56 appearances at Sam Houston, he did what he needed to earn an opportunity in the NFL. McCollum figures to play special teams early in his NFL career while continuing to work on his technique, but he projects as a backup cornerback who could eventually develop into a starter.

GRADE: 6.4 (4th Round: Potential Role Player)

OVERALL RANK: 161

POSITION RANK: CB21

PRO COMPARISON: Benjamin St-Juste

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings