New York Giants UDFAs: Get to know Nate McCollum, WR, North Carolina

Is McCollum a hidden gem?

There are always reasons why a player goes undrafted, and for Nate McCollum of North Carolina that reason seems to be “opportunity”.

McCollum got his start in Georgia Tech’s run-heavy option offense, then transferred to UNC in 2023 to play with Drake Maye. It was a smart move on McCollum’s part, and he got to flash potential with an NFL quarterback. However, he was still often a tertiary option in the Tar Heels’ offense and rarely saw more than a handful of targets in a game.

More often, he was put in motion as a misdirection piece or used as an option on third downs. McCollum wasn’t invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, though he put down a solid 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the UNC Pro Day.

The New York Giants, however, spent a lot of time at North Carolina over the course of 2023. Joe Schoen was very interested in Drake Maye and therefore had a front row seat for McCollum’s flashes.

Could the Giants’ ill-fated pursuit of Maye have tipped them off to a hidden gem?

What does he bring?

McCollum is an undersized (or perhaps “compact”) slot receiver at 5-foot-8, 185 pounds. He plays with great quickness and agility and is a precise route runner. McCollum uses his agility and low center of gravity to break his routes off sharply, and does so at the correct yardage. That precision can make it very difficult for defensive backs to stay with him through his routes, and allows him to use his routes as weapons to create separation.

He also has impressive ball skills at all levels of the field. McCollum does a very good job of locating the ball in the air and extending to maximize his catch radius. Granted, his catch radius isn’t large to begin with but he does a good job of extending to pluck the ball out of the air.

He also has excellent concentration through the catch, such as in this touchdown from Drake Maye against Minnesota:

Overall, McCollum’s production only hints at his potential upside as a receiving weapon. For the most part, he averaged a catch or three a game, rarely cracked 30 yards in any game. However, he also had incredible outbursts, racking up double-digit catches and well over 100 yards. Those flashes could make him a player to watch.

McCollum also has experience as a kick returner, with 17 returns for 449 yards — an average of 26.4 yards per return. His longest return was 49 yards, and even if we leave that one off his average was 25 yards per return. That’s still significantly better than the (roughly) 22.5 yards per return average prior to the 2024 rule change.

Can he stick?

The Giants have created a lot competition for the bottom third of their wide receiver depth chart.

Most of the receivers they’ve brought in are bigger, which could be a mark in McCollum’s favor. Likewise, his upside as a returner could work in his favor as well, as the team has consistently struggled to find capable returners.

Wan’Dale Robinson should be the starting slot receiver and could be in for something of a breakout season if the Giants can establish a consistent vertical threat in their offense. Malik Nabers will get plenty of reps out of the slot as well, as the coaches move him around to create and exploit matchups.

That could make it tough for McCollum to crack the roster. However, the fact that he has deep speed as well as the ball skills to be a vertical threat could make him a sleeper. At the very least, he could produce some exciting plays in camp and the preseason.