STRENGTHS
McKinnley has the athletic talent, size, strength, and the correct mindset to demand double teams on every snap or he will disrupt a team’s offense in their backfield. He has good quickness of the snap and changes the line of scrimmage in his favor against double teams. He can play in any style of front, as a Defensive tackle in a 4/3 or as a nose tackle in a 3/4. Not many can do that and be an impact player doing it. McKinney has enough lateral agility to defend hash mark to hash mark, shutting down the run. He is a run stuffer in a 2gap system and a disrupter in a penetrating 1gap system. McKinney is not going to make a lot of tackles or sacks but his play on the field will allow his teammates to make a lot of tackles and sacks and that is the definition of an impact Defensive Lineman/Nose Tackle.
CONCERNS
McKinney does have to learn to get off blocks quicker when playing Defensive tackle in a 4/3 defense. He also needs to stay on balance and keep his feet when he splits double teams and plays in a 1gap penetrating scheme.
BOTTOM LINE: 1.83
As I stated before, McKinney will not show up in the stats, and that will discourage some teams from rating him as high as I do. I do not expect McKinney to be selected in the 1st round. Why, that’s just the value of the position and the fact that he doesn’t have many sacks, Sacks are what attracts most teams in selecting Defensive Tackles because the NFL is a passing league first and a stuffing the run league second. I know a good pass rush starts with the Defensive tackles demanding double teams, allowing the Edge Rushers to be up against single blocks. The pass rush starts with the ability of Defensive tackles not allowing quarterbacks to step up in the pocket or flush the quarterback out of the pocket disrupting the rhythm of the offensive play. In short, you will not get many sacks or win games unless you have a nose tackle or Defensive Tackles that demand double teams and can push the pocket and that is what McKinnley will do. So, look at Rob’s board to see what round McKinnley will be selected in but notice once he gets selected how much better your team’s defense is in stopping the run and rushing the passer. Then notice the middle of the defensive line and how they allow that all to happen.
