The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and general manager Jason Licht took a flyer in the fifth round in 2022 on a Sam Houston State cornerback with the hope of adding some depth to a struggling secondary.
What they got was a Zyon McCollum that was arguably their best player in the secondary last year.
McCollum now enters the final year of his rookie deal, and he could be in line for a big payday. After the draft, McCollum signed a four-year, $3.981 million deal with the Bucs, a contract that is pretty typical for a draft pick in the fifth round.
Moe Moton with Bleacher Report believes that McCollum's deal could be the most important extension for the team.
"Last year, McCollum emerged as the Buccaneers' best cornerback, logging a team-leading 17 pass breakups and two interceptions while allowing an 86.9 passer rating," Moton wrote. "Jamel Dean hasn't elevated his play after signing an extension in 2023, and Tampa Bay drafted two cornerbacks in the second and third rounds. McCollum is a known commodity and the stabilizing player in the Buccaneers' cornerback room. Entering a contract year, he has earned a pay raise."
Across three seasons, McCollum has appeared in 47 games with 29 starts. He's posted 174 tackles with 122 solo and two for loss. He's added two interceptions, both last year, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
His postseason numbers are equally impressive, with one start across four games, he's added 13 tackles with 11 solo and one for loss, with a pass breakup.