2022 NFL Draft: KC Chiefs can find solid corners in middle rounds

Zyon McCollum – Sam Houston State

• 6-foot-2
• 199 pounds
• 30.75″ arms
• 4.33 forty
• 6.48 three cone

While Tariq Woolen may be the prospect getting the most hype for his size/speed potential, Zyon McCollum deserves a fair amount of hype of his own. McCollum might be two inches shorter, has shorter arms, and ran a 4.33 forty compared to Woolen’s 4.26, but he’s still an elite athlete for his size. In fact, using Kent Lee Platte’s (@mathbomb on Twitter) Raw Athletic Score (RAS), McCollum ranked first out of 1,923 corners he’s tested since 1987.

So if Woolen is taller and faster, why did McCollum have a better athletic score? His change of direction was noticeably better than Woolen. Woolen put up a mediocre 4.29 second short shuttle and 7.10 second three-cone while McCollum’s 3.94 short shuttle and 6.48 three-cone were elite times. That better change of direction upside should give McCollum a better chance to stick to quick-cutting receivers in man coverage.

The other reason McCollum deserves some hype as well is that he has more proven ball skill production. His 13 interceptions and 54 passes defended in his college career dwarf the 2 interceptions and 11 passes defended that Woolen had in his two seasons as a cornerback. Now, McCollum is still pretty raw technique-wise coming out of Sam Houston State and will also need a lot of coaching and time to adjust to NFL-level receivers, but if Woolen has the highest ceiling out of the corners in this class, McCollum isn’t too far behind him. His arms are a little shorter than KC typically likes on the outside, but they’re similar in length to Rashad Fenton’s who is also 3 inches shorter than McCollum.

I think McCollum would be a great third-round pick in the upcoming draft for the Chiefs and a home run pick if he makes it all the way to the 4th round. Similar to Woolen though, counting on McCollum as a rookie probably isn’t a smart idea. So while I love his long-term potential, the Chiefs would need some veteran help to get them through the 2022 season.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It:

I love this quote about McCollum from the excellent KC Sports Network Draft Guide:

"He’s a physical cornerback with good ball skills that clearly has a ton of athleticism and that speaks directly to the Chiefs soul when talking about the position."

You can see McCollum in action at the bottom of the screen in the tweet below. If you like what you see there or just want to see more for yourself, check out the links below.

Check out more of McCollum’s highlights HERE.

You can watch his game vs South Dakota State (look for #22) HERE.

If the Chiefs want a more proven and NFL-ready corner that still fits their profile, there is at least one good option they could target in rounds three or four.