Former Tennessee safety Jaylen McCollough has been making a lot of noise in his rookie season with the Los Angeles Rams.
In just 110 defensive snaps on the field, McCollough leads Los Angeles and is third in the league with four interceptions so far this season.
McCollough wasn’t one of the defensive backs propped up by news networks this offseason leading into the NFL Draft. He wasn’t one of Mel Kiper’s big picks and didn’t receive an invitation to the NFL Combine. Instead, McCollough flew under the radar and ended up signing with the Rams as an undrafted free agent.
While McCollough got his chance to see the field due to injuries in the Rams’ secondary, the former Vol has proved to be an opportunistic player and potentially a diamond in the rough for Los Angeles.
According to L.A. Rams PR on X, McCollough has an astounding 0.0 passer rating against as the primary defender, which is tied for first in the NFL.
In 69 coverage snaps this season, S Jaylen McCollough has recorded four interceptions, one defensive touchdown, four passes defended, one pass breakup, and two incompletions against as the primary defender.
His 0.0 passer rating against as the primary defender is tied for first… pic.twitter.com/4SXFMSnr6H
— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) November 5, 2024
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During an episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the FOX Sports host couldn’t come up with McCollough’s name when talking about the Rams and undrafted players. Cowherd certainly wasn’t throwing shade at McCollough. In fact, it was the opposite. He put McCollough’s name next to some of the most notable undrafted players in league history.
But with the way McCollough’s been playing as a rookie this season, now might just be the perfect time to learn his name.
“I think Brock [Purdy]’s a good player but I also think, you’re a great example of this, executives miss all the time on players,” Cowherd said while previewing the 49ers-Bucs game alongside Fox broadcaster Tom Brady. “Antonio Gates and Tony Romo weren’t drafted. There’s players all over. I watched the kid for the Rams this weekend, some undrafted safety had his fourth pick. There’s talent everywhere.”
McCollough’s sample size hasn’t been big, and it’s been a step up from his collegiate time at Tennessee in terms of turnovers forced – especially narrowing it down to turnovers forced per snap. But the start to his career has nonetheless been electric and a bright spot in the Rams’ season.
During the Rams’ game against the Packers on October 6, former Tennessee linebacker Byron Young helped create a pick-six for his former Tennessee and current Los Angeles teammate Jaylen McCollough.
With Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love rolling to his right to escape trouble in his own endzone, Young came screaming around the corner chasing down the quarterback. Young got to Love and popped him in the endzone as the Green Bay quarterback just slung the ball out of pressure.
McCollough, in coverage on the goal line, took the errant throw and dashed four yards into the endzone while being tackled.
WHAT. A. PLAY.
📺: @NFLonCBS | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/iV2QHDULtw
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 6, 2024
McCollough has nine solo tackles, four interceptions, four passes deflected, and one touchdown in the Rams’ first eight games of the season.
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