NFL Draft 2022: Biggest Losers

Fresno State cornerback Zyon McCollum

3. Ultra-athletic developmental cornerback prospects

This seems odd because everything the NFL has told us for several years now is that guys like UTSA’s Tariq Woolen and Sam Houston State’s Zyon McCollum would be names teams value highly and should be top-100 locks.

Woolen is one of the most remarkable athletes in terms of size-speed combination, standing tall at 6’4” and 205 pounds with offensive tackle-like 33 ½-inch arms and running a 4.26 in the 40.

On the other hand, McCollum put together one of the greatest combine performances in the event’s history, testing in the 89th percentile or better across the board, including the top mark among all performers this year in both the agility drills, while measuring in at 6’2” and 200 pounds himself.

However, somehow they both didn’t hear their names called until the fifth round at picks 153rd and 157th overall, respectively. Woolen could have been taken in the late third or early fourth round because there were a lot of false steps and overrunning the break point when he wasn’t in phase. He also missed ten of 35 tackling attempts this past season, routinely just diving at the legs of ball-carriers. Yet, with his athletic profile and the speed and length to make up for some initial separation, he could have gone top-50.

McCollum was significantly lower on, because he routinely lost contact with his receiver, became highly reactionary in zone coverage, and did not wrap and drive as a tackler but rather launched a shoulder at ball-carriers after stopping his feet, which led to eight missed tackles last season.

Still, it's unbelievable how one of the all-time great athletic displays went so late in the draft.