Todd Bowles didn’t hesitate when talking about Zyon McCollum after the Buccaneers’ Thursday night win over the Cowboys. And after what McCollum just did against Dallas, the praise fits.
For a team that has gotten plenty of attention for Jacob Parrish’s rise at cornerback, McCollum deserves his own spotlight. He’s been uneven at times during his NFL career, but Tampa Bay clearly believed in the upside enough to hand him a three-year, $48 million extension. Now, in 2026, he’s starting to look like the player that contract was betting on.
Against the Cowboys, McCollum turned in what might have been the best game of his career. He matched up with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens and finished the night without allowing a single reception. That kind of performance naturally caught Bowles’ eye on Friday morning.
“Zyon is playing like an All-Pro corner right now… He really is watching a lot more film. He really has been trying to do it physically the last few years and not mentally from that standpoint but he’s recognizing formations, understanding what guys are trying to do to him… that’s really helping him play the game a lot easier, a lot looser, and a lot smarter and I think he’s really capitalizing on that,” Bowles said.
The physical talent has never been the question with McCollum. He was drafted No. 157 overall in 2022, but his athletic profile made him stand out immediately. At the time, he was rated as the most athletic cornerback prospect ever, posting a perfect 10.00 Relative Athletic Score.
What’s different now is the way that physical ability is being paired with sharper preparation. Bowles pointed to the film study and the mental side of the game, and the results are showing up on Sundays.
McCollum had 10 one-on-one matchups with Lamb and gave up zero catches on two targets. He also broke up a pass while lined up against Pickens.
This wasn’t a one-game blip, either. It was the second time this season he’s been credited with allowing zero catches.
Through five games, McCollum has given up nine receptions on 17 targets, a career-best 53 percent, for 102 yards. He’s also added three pass breakups.
The Buccaneers have now done it twice this season against top-end receivers. In the opener, they held Ja’Marr Chase to two catches for 12 yards. Against Dallas, Lamb was limited to two catches for nine yards.
That’s the kind of production that makes Bowles’ comment sound less like hype and more like a straightforward assessment. McCollum is playing at a level that looks a lot like a career year.
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