“Real Deal” Zyon McCollum
September 18th, 2024
So Bucs edge rusher beast YaYa Diaby had a different kind of summer.
Much of it was spent as a spectator nursing an ankle injury.
That meant Diaby got to watch the Bucs defense through most of training camp from the sidelines, in addition to studying film.
It left him was an appreciation of how much cornerback Zyon McCollum has improved from last year, Diaby told the Buccaneers Radio Network this week.
“Zyon is the real deal,” Diaby said. “Oh yeah, Zyon is him.”
While Diaby always is a super positive guy, Joe didn’t hear Diaby glow about any other teammates in the same way. Co-host Cameron Brate agreed with Diaby and cited McCollum’s greatly improved tackling.
Todd Bowles also hopped on the team’s radio network and went over the top with his praise of McCollum, who got his first career interception against the Lions on Sunday.
“Zyon had an outstanding game, not just the interception,” Bowles said. “He had a bunch of pass breakups. He had some tackles. He studied; he understood what was happening to him on almost every play. He squeezed routes. He came off of plays. He tackled well. You know, I think the sky is the limit for Zyon. You’re looking at a star in the making right before our eyes.”
Wow. “A star in the making” is not the typical player description fro Todd Bowles.
Did the Bucs develop a shutdown cornerback out of Round 5 of the 2022 draft? That’s unclear, but Joe certainly thinks McCollum can evolve his game and become as good as Jamel Dean has been. He certainly has the raw athletic talent.
September 18th, 2024 at 9:19 am
Zyon Island… Imagine the possibilities
September 18th, 2024 at 9:23 am
He’s good, in some ways he reminds me of Donnie Abraham.
September 18th, 2024 at 9:29 am
He played great. Squeeze the football and keep your head up when tackling and he’ll be fine.
September 18th, 2024 at 9:38 am
If Zyon plays like that all season, we’re going to be better than I was expecting. I was in the 10 win group. Nobody including myself had us winning the game last Sunday. After watching the Monday night game, the Bucs will be going to New Orleans 5-0.
September 18th, 2024 at 9:40 am
ZM27 did have a great game on Sunday. To be great, or as TB put it, ” a star in the making”, one has to pile up great games one after another. I hope ZM27 does that!!! 😎
September 18th, 2024 at 9:44 am
Don’t forget the fumble recovery he would have housed if the refs didn’t blow the play dead
September 18th, 2024 at 9:45 am
Best of all: he’s better than CD3 at $16 million per year LESS
September 18th, 2024 at 9:50 am
Wrong, I was clear when I said, the Bucs will win, and the conversation will be “did the Bucs win or did the Lions just beat themselves”. @BA’s Red Pen
Just to be clear, the Bucs won.
We can look across all sports and see one common thing between the loser and the winner. But as the winner, WHO CARES, it’s obvious the losing team just SUCKS!
September 18th, 2024 at 9:51 am
More proof Jason Licht knows what he’s doing.
September 18th, 2024 at 9:53 am
He looks so improved and is very sticky on coverage. It might be time ppl recognize Bowles as the DB guru
September 18th, 2024 at 9:54 am
Zyon stock is soaring. So is Sirvocea’s. Kancey stock is falling like Disney’s.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:01 am
Carlton Davis who?
September 18th, 2024 at 10:03 am
DO Y’ALL REMEMBER?
He was an athletic freak of nature with only small school experience. Zyon played year one and got crushed. He spent the entire off season doing what? … Do you remember? … He spent the entire off season at One Buc studying film. He put in full time work building his knowledge of the game. He came back last season and proved he could start. He then, put in another off season perfecting his technique. This guy is someone to root for.
So, who did the EXACT same thing last off season … Sean Tucker. The Bucs need to put him on the field.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:03 am
The Bucs coaching is game changing the Bucs. Todd Bowles and Jason Light are putting all the pieces together.
The next big test are away games at the Falcons, Phillies and Saints. Win 2 out of 3 games would be great and all 3 games would be the coup de grâce. Go Bucs
September 18th, 2024 at 10:09 am
I wonder if anyone working for ESPN remembers ranking the bucs roster as one of the worst in the nfl heading into training camp.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:10 am
He has come a long way from his first season, Go Bucs.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:13 am
Of course not.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:23 am
Joe: “Did the Bucs develop a shutdown cornerback out of Round 5 of the 2022 draft? That’s unclear, but Joe certainly thinks McCollum can evolve his game and become as good as Jamel Dean has been.”
I think McCollum’s ceiling is higher than Dean’s. He can catch the ball. 😉
September 18th, 2024 at 10:39 am
The oline and secondary are the two areas we should have absolute faith in our management and coaches.
September 18th, 2024 at 10:42 am
One of the biggest improvements is that he is a willing and able tackler compared to the last guy and he doesn’t take plays off. Very happy with ZM.
September 18th, 2024 at 11:16 am
I don’t remember the last time I saw a Bucs secondary with that many pass breakups. It might be a matter of time before Dean is a backup. His whiff on the first target his way for 55 yards is glaring, especially with his alleged 4.3 speed.
September 18th, 2024 at 12:00 pm
“You’re looking at a star in the making right before our eyes.” Very high praise from someone who would know, Todd Bowles. McCollum has another vet he can study: Jordan Whitehouse. Sure looking forward to listening to a game with everyone healthy. LOL.
September 18th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
Meanwhile Carlton Davis the 3rd is high as a kite rn
September 18th, 2024 at 2:02 pm
I have been thoroughly impressed with Zyon, Dean, Izien, Whitehead.
We know what Winfield will bring and the rookie Smith has looked decent as well.
They should feast against Denver
September 18th, 2024 at 2:05 pm
BucU
Kancey stock is not falling. He is injured. When he comes back, look out. He’s going to be a star.
September 18th, 2024 at 2:34 pm
Our two starting boundary CBs are faaaaast..
September 18th, 2024 at 3:51 pm
#ZyonsWorld
September 18th, 2024 at 3:52 pm
He Gewd. Real Gewd.
September 18th, 2024 at 4:03 pm
Zyon = Taller Brent Grimes. It’s awesome to finally have somebody that can play soft zone and still make plays on the ball again.
September 18th, 2024 at 4:33 pm
Zyon has always been an athlete but he’s actually becoming a player and competitor. Maybe the summer working against his bro helped?
September 18th, 2024 at 5:40 pm
As good as Jamel Dean has been? Let’s hope he’s significantly better than Dean. In fact, he’s already at least that good and seemingly getting better by the week.
September 18th, 2024 at 6:06 pm
Jordan Whitehead. SMH, my age is showing. 🤓
September 18th, 2024 at 9:35 pm
Zion is already better that Jamel Dean. He can catch. Jamel always seems to play so far off the ball. He’s good at being in position to make a tackle, but not always to make a play on the ball. Zion has more to prove, but Jamel is average
September 18th, 2024 at 9:36 pm
Zyon*
September 19th, 2024 at 11:08 pm
Zyon McCollum grades as the most athletic cornerback in the past 35 years:
[Yeah, Joe wrote about that when he was drafted by the Bucs. Pretty impressive. — Joe]