Todd Bowles Happy With Zyon McCollum’s Progress
August 7th, 2024
Impressing Todd Bowles.
Three things Joe has learned in Bucs Training Camp 2024 when it comes to Zyon McCollum.
The first is, he is right when he told Joe he might be able to play wide receiver in the NFL.
Two days later on an interception, he looked exactly like a receiver.
The second is, McCollum can hang with Mike Evans. Just about every day in camp, McCollum has been guarding Evans. In the early going it was a mismatch. Evans was schooling him. But each day, McCollum has gotten better and better.
McCollum is making Evans work for his touches. This included another McCollum interception yesterday when he had inside leverage on Evans at the goal line and Baker Mayfield tried to sneak a pass past McCollum into Evans’ hands.
Didn’t work.
“There’s no such thing as a bad pick,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said of the play by McCollum after practice. “He made a heck of a play with his hands. He’s been playing well.”
The third thing Joe has learned about McCollum? He can hit.
Now McCollum is not and may never make anyone forget John Lynch or even Jordan Whitehead. But McCollum can stick receivers and running backs in the flat to remind them he’s on patrol.
Yesterday, Bucky Irving was a recipient of just such a wake-up call. He caught a dump-off pass in the right flat and McCollum came up and popped him.
As Joe shared in yesterday’s practice notes, Joe loves the sound of pads popping early in the morning. It sounds to Joe like… victory.
August 7th, 2024 at 5:51 am
Sounds like he is progressing nicely…… Mike is a pro at creating seperation with his hands and body , so to be able make him earn receptions is awesome.
August 7th, 2024 at 6:11 am
Excellent News, Joe. Very glad to hear this from you.
August 7th, 2024 at 7:34 am
“It sounds to Joe like… victory.” Kinda like the smell of napalm in the morning?
August 7th, 2024 at 8:28 am
A starting CB who can hang with Evans out of Sam Houston State in the 5th Round – That’s a great scouting department
August 7th, 2024 at 8:33 am
ZSo far so good!
August 7th, 2024 at 9:00 am
This is Zyon’s season!
Bucky is learning too!
August 7th, 2024 at 9:25 am
“Now McCollum is not and may never make anyone forget John Lynch or even Jordan Whitehead. But McCollum can stick receivers and running backs in the flat to remind them he’s on patrol.”
The first or second punt in the season opener last season, Zyon was a gunner and he hit the returner in the legs so hard I cringed.
Laid out Olave on a WR screen in Nola.
Put a hit on Michael Pruitt against ATL that forced a fumble that rolled out of bounds.
Against the Jags McCoullum put some heat on Evan Engram and forced a fumble.
From what we know of what Bowles wants from his CBs, I dont think we trade CDIII and promote McCollum if his willingness or ability to tackle was lacking.
August 7th, 2024 at 9:33 am
Good good good.
August 7th, 2024 at 11:05 am
Before we anoint Zyon the Golden Boy, let’s see how he handles the Miami receivers in the scrimmages. Opposing offenses will surely target him this season, so he’s got to be mentally tough this year.
August 7th, 2024 at 11:18 am
@JimBobBuc
Most targeted and most snaps played of anybody else in our CB room last season, nobody is anointing him as anything but alot of you apparently didn’t pay attention well enough to see Zyon had a pretty good season for a 5th rounder in his 2nd season.
Don’t need to see him against a specific WR group when he’s been making plays pretty much on a daily basis against Mike Evans and whomever else in practice.
August 7th, 2024 at 4:56 pm
One of these days this is gonna end.