Earlier this month, Bucks cornerback Zion McCollum Appeared on the Pewter Report podcast He spoke at length about last season and the goals he has heading into his third year in the NFL. That said, McCollum will likely be the starting outside cornerback opposite Jamel Dean, a role that will come with expectations.
I expect big plays.
It’s not just something he wants to do, it’s something head coach Todd Bowles and cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross have drilled into the minds of every defensive player on the team, and with training camp just a few weeks away, the young cornerback will be ready for anything that’s thrown at him.
Zion McCollum ‘learned a lot’ with Buccaneers last season
Buccaneers CB Carlton Davis III and DB Zion McCollum – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Zion McCollum’s role with the Buccaneers became more defined after he played in all 17 games last season. With multiple injuries to cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis III, McCollum had the most starts of any cornerback on the team, which made it easier for Tampa Bay to let Davis go in the offseason and send him to the Lions.
That would ensure McCollum’s position is fully secured and he 2024 will be the big breakout seasonWhen asked on the podcast what he’d learned from the last year, he spoke about how much things can change and how you always have to be prepared.
“I learned a lot, just how quickly the season goes by and how you have to be prepared for almost any situation,” McCollum said. “Last year I didn’t know where I was going to play. – Right corner spot, left corner spot, nickel spot – So I go into every game knowing I have to be ready for anything.”
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles and center back Zion McCollum – Photo courtesy of USA Today
He has the ability to adapt to any situation and has earned high praise from head coach Todd Bowles, who called him an “enigma” in January. Cross-training ability He switched from cornerback to safety, and at the NFL Annual General Meeting in March, he called the versatile defensive back One of his defensive “chess pieces.”
To McCullum’s credit, he went into each game with a clear mind, which helped him weather the waves of change.
“Anything can happen in this league,” McCollum added. “Everything is going well and one play can make all the difference. Preparation is definitely what I’ve been keeping in mind the most. Just coming in each week fresh, clean and ready for whatever happens.”
How has Zion McCollum found a way to make the big play?
This offseason, Zion McCollum and the rest of the Buccaneers defense have placed a premium on finding ways to increase the number of big plays. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. bore much of this responsibility last season, but it can’t be placed solely on him again.
Buccaneers CB Zion McCollum – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
McCollum, Jamel Dean and new safeties Jordan Whitehead and Tykee Smith will each be expected to take advantage of the opportunities and contribute, and that starts with fooling the quarterback and getting into the right position.
“I’m trying to find ways to play that will give the quarterback an opportunity,” McCollum said. “Make the quarterback think something is open and just stay calm and understand my speed and how I can use it to my advantage. Now I know the system, I can stay calm and make reads and show the quarterback different things.”
“I’m pretending to be in deep coverage but I’m actually under coverage. Or I’m pretending to be in man coverage but I’m actually in zone. It’s allowed me to see the ball a lot easier, a lot slower and use my athleticism to make some of these big plays.”
Throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp, McCollum made his presence known, recording a couple of interceptions off quarterback Baker Mayfield and flashing his ability to be a starting cornerback in the NFL. As he went from his rookie year to his sophomore year in 2023, his big improvement on the field was noticeable as the game slowed down and he improved as a tackler and in coverage.
Still, there’s one thing he hasn’t been able to accomplish in his NFL career so far. – Regular season interceptions.
Heading into the offseason and training camp, McCollum said the message from cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross was to focus on catching the ball every day and working with the secondary to facilitate interceptions.
Buccaneers CB Zion McCollum – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
“Just make big plays,” McCollum said of the message he got from Coach Ross. “‘You’re used to it, you’re in the system, you know what’s going on, you know how the NFL works, and now it’s time to take the next step in this league and start making big plays.’ The biggest thing written on the whiteboard in the conference room is, ‘Catch 50 balls a day.’ 50 balls a day, Coach Ross is with us every day. Are you catching 50 balls, are you catching 50 balls?
“That’s a big emphasis not just for the cornerback room, but for the entire defense. In our first meeting of the offseason, Coach Bowles gets the whole defense together and we start watching cut-ups of how to fake coverages and how those fakes set up a lot of interceptions. We don’t have to rely on athleticism alone to make those big plays, but we can rely on our intelligence and our ability to work together to show the quarterback something and just talk to each other and go for the interception.”
Zion McCollum is looking forward to seeing his offseason hard work pay off as he sets his sights on taking the next step in 2024.
“This year is the time to put it all together and not think about anything. Just go out there and play with your quarterback’s head and make plays.”
Listen to Zion McCollum on the Pewter Report Podcast
If you missed Zyon McCollum’s hour-long interview on the Pewter Report Podcast a few weeks ago, be sure to check it out to hear everything he had to say about his busy offseason and his big goals for next season.
