For Bucks cornerback Jon McCollum, his sophomore season will be a big season for him. After a rookie struggle last season, he has a chance to become a key cog in the secondary this year as a position behind starting cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean.
To do that, McCallum will need to hone both his ball skills and tackling. After deciding on Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky on Friday night, he ticked one of those boxes. But he still has work to do to keep his opponents in check.
Zeon McCallum on INT against Steelers
After the Bucks scored on a touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Trey Palmer, the Steelers were looking for big yards to come back. Second-year cornerback Zion McCallum had another idea.
McCallum covered wide receiver Cody White tightly on the right flank, and when he got entangled, White put the ball directly into his hand to give the Bucks momentum. McCallum discussed the play after the game.
Bucks CB Zion McCallum – Photo Credit: Cliff Welch/PR
“Because they like to throw fades, [I got my] Hurry up and leave,” said McCallum. “It felt like practice. He released it outside. I knew it was a fade, I braced myself and the ball came to me.”
Coming down with the ball required great anticipation and concentration in moments of adjustment. Did anything change in his mind while playing?
“To be honest, nothing really,” McCallum replied. “Just like you are at this moment, I just see where my feet are. I knew it was tangled, so I tried to get up and it just came out perfectly and I was able to catch it.”
While he demonstrated his ability to Create Takeout at Sam Houston State University, McCollum failed to record an interception in his rookie year at Tampa Bay. A play like his against the Steelers could give him a much-needed confidence boost.
“It’s big,” added McCallum. “This tells me that a lot of the work I have been working on is coming to fruition, but this is just the first step, the first game. It’s nice to know you’re here, and it motivates you to keep doing what you’re doing and keep working hard.”
Jon McCallum and Rondo Barber are more alike than you think
His interception is a step in the right direction, and both Zion McCallum and the Bucks hope he will use his rookie year as motivation to take his play to the next level. There’s no better way he could emulate Hall of Fame cornerback Rondo Barber.
![Bucks CB Rondo Barber](https://www.pewterreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Barber-Ronde-ball-captain-300x210.jpg)
Legendary Bucks CB Rondo Barber – Photo Credit: Cliff Welch/PR
Recently, Barber gave McCallum the following challenge: turn doubt into fuel. McCollum uses his travels as motivation.
“It’s a big success,” said McCallum. “Hearing him talk, I know what he went through in his first year, ridiculed by the media and fans. [Seeing him] And how he bounced back from his Hall of Fame career. So that’s the biggest motivational boost for me. ”
While McCallum has his own path forward in his development, he and Barber have striking similarities on and off the field. They include mid-round picks, struggling rookies, and criticism from both fans and the media.
Before the game, however, Barber himself didn’t realize the similarities between the two were even greater — they were identical twins to NFL brothers. Zion’s twin Tristin McCallum is the Eagles’ reserve defensive back.
“[Ronde Barber] He came to me before the game and said he didn’t know I was a twin,” McCallum said. “He was knocking himself over because he didn’t know I was an identical twin. It was pretty real to actually meet him and come up to me before the game to wish me luck, hopefully you know our routes are similar in some ways. is.”
Jon McCallum still has areas to improve
Zion McCallum made one great play and he still made a great play Pewter Report’s Most Disappointing List Steelers game. This was due to the failure to allow multiple catches and maintain containment. This 14-yard touchdown run By Steelers running back Anthony McFarland. McCollum admitted that his hesitation with the play was déjà vu.
“I was in a good position, but I was a little lost, you know?” Mr McCallum admitted. “In a way, it reminded me a little bit of last year. I can’t repeat it over and over again,” he thought. Someday I will have to go out and play. ”
![Steelers WR George Pickens and Bucks CB Zeon McCallum](https://www.pewterreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Pickens-George-Zyon-McCollum-Bucs-Steelers-miss-300x200.jpg)
Steelers WR George Pickens and Bucks CB Zeon McCallum – Photo Credit: Cliff Welch/PR
To his credit, McCallum saw a glimmer of hope in the play. Although last year’s struggles may have put him down, he sees this as an opportunity to grow.
“It’s good to know. I was in a bad situation and all the thoughts that kept running through my head from last year came back into my head, and then I just put my foot down and said, ‘No, we’re not going to do that.’ ’” Do this again. It was horrible,” McCallum said. “That’s growth and that’s all I really want.”
McCallum is looking to improve, but tackling is probably the area he needs the most improvement. I see him making progress in this aspect of his game, but all he needs to do is slow down and attack when the moment comes.
“I’ve seen it grow because I felt like I didn’t have to be on the scene so quickly,” McCallum said. “Last year I felt like I was out of position a little because of my speed. , obviously there will always be room for improvement.As long as you’re off tackles during the game, that’s part of the game that you have to fix.”