Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State
The Las Vegas Raiders will be looking to add another diamond in the rough in the later rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
One prospect who is gaining much attention as we approach draft day is cornerback Zyon McCollum from Sam Houston State.
“Ball-hawking FCS cornerback with outstanding combination of size and athletic traits for the next level. McCollum is big and plays with good physicality in coverage but his footwork to match the release and phase the route tend to stand out. He is instinctive and has great ball skills at the catch-point but there is room for improvement playing downfield throws. His play speed is good but he might not have the instant juice to prevent being stacked on vertical routes from press. He can press or play all forms of zone and has early special-teams value as he transitions into the pros,” Lance Zierlein of the NFL Network said.
There aren’t many prospects who received much attention at the FCS level, but after a strong showing at the NFL Combine, McCollum has entered the conversation of becoming one of the few FCS cornerbacks to be selected on draft day.
McCollum put up some impressive numbers at the combine and caught the attention of many scouts.
His 4.33 time in the 40-yard dash was the third-best among cornerbacks at the combine, and his 3.94 shuttle time was the best among all prospects.
McCollum also had the best three-cone drill at the combine with a 6.48 time, a 32-inch broad jump (best among CBs), and a 39.5-inch vertical (second-best among CBs).
He’s another player coming into the NFL with a chip on his shoulder, and ready to prove many doubters wrong, coming from an FCS school, you can still produce at the next level.
McCollum's senior season ended with 50 total tackles (39 solos), two tackles for losses, three interceptions, and eight pass deflections while being named AP All-American third team, and All-WAC first team.
At 6-2, 200 pounds, McCollum has impressive size and length to be impactful in coverage.
McCollum is a smart player who can line up at any scheme assigned to him and more impressive is his tacking at the point of attack in the run game.
As for the Raiders, selecting the Bearkats product is a win-win, in regard to adding a quality player with size and skills ready to perform at the next level.
Want to talk about this? Want to air your opinion about all things Las Vegas Raiders? Maybe you like to talk about other sports that aren't Silver and Black related? We got your back. Join our 100% FREE message board, a brand new option, when you CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Make sure you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Want the latest breaking Las Vegas Raiders news delivered straight to your email for FREE? Sign up for the DAILY Raiders Nation newsletter when you CLICK THE FOLLOW button on the main page. Don't miss any of the latest up to the second updates for your Las Vegas Raiders when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter
