Tag: Verone McKinley

Meet Verone McKinley III, Oregon’s versatile DB prospect

Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Oregon defensive back prospect Verone McKinley III

It’s one thing to be able to play multiple positions, but it’s another thing to be able to play multiple positions as well as Oregon defensive back Verone McKinley III does.

The ball-hawking safety had 6 interceptions in 2021, which tied him for the most picks in the FBS this past season. He exploded as a consensus first-team All-American while taking on a massive role for the Ducks’ defense. Not only did he play in traditional single-high and two-high shells at safety, but he also covered out of the slot and in the box at a high level.

Draft Wire had the chance to speak exclusively with McKinley about his pre-draft preparation with Exos, developing in a loaded Oregon secondary, going to the Senior Bowl, and much more.

JI: You’ve been doing some pre-draft prep over at Exos. How’s that going, and what are you looking to work on the most this offseason?

VM: It’s been going good. [I] just came in pretty healthy and just making sure [I’m] fine-tuning everything, getting some more strength, making sure I’m ready for the 40, the 5-10-5, L-drill, bench press all of that. Just trying to fine-tune and everything and get better and better at those things.

JI: Do you have any set goals for those drills at the NFL Scouting Combine?

VM: I would say, of course everybody’s goal is to go as fast as possible. For the 40, 4.4 to 4.5 would be great. The 5-10-5 to go 4.0 to 3.9. Bench press, more than 15, things like that.

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

JI: Consensus first-team All-American, first-team All-Pac-12. What did the awards from this past season mean to you?

VM: I would say that it was cool for me, because it wasn’t even about the awards going into the season; it was kind of about making sure as a team that we try to get as close as possible to that national championship and the playoffs. Then just for me, personally, earning respect; I just wanted to earn the respect of a lot of people, to be recognized as one of the best in the country at my position and as a defensive player. So those awards are really cool, just to see that coming to fruition and to earn that respect.

JI: You’ve been able to play alongside a bunch of NFL-caliber defensive backs at Oregon the last few years. How has that atmosphere molded you as a player and as a competitor?

VM: I would say it brought competition to the DB room every day. You don’t just get a spot given to you; you gotta earn it. All that did was help me compete all the time and get better, game by game, practice by practice. It allowed for me to see older guys see some of their mistakes and things that could have done better and apply it to my game as things I could do well to apply to the next level and apply game by game. That was kind of big for me, being able to pick off a guy’s brains and see what they did wrong, see what they did right and try to put input it into every piece of my game.

JI: Watching you on tape, one of the things that stands out to me is your versatility, whether it’s single-high, two-high, out of the slot, in the box, you name it. What goes into being able to play so many alignments, and is there one you think you’re the best at?

VM: I would say what goes into it is a little bit of my athleticism matched with my football IQ. Just the ability to understand everybody on the defense and what they’re doing, as well as understand where the offense is on the field, the situation, how they’re trying to attack us, all of that goes into play with it. For my ability and knowing certain situations, we’re going to get this and be able to plug myself into wherever that is and play fast, it allows me to do that. Being able to play all over the field just allows me to have that versatility and to just make plays everywhere.

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)

JI: You got added to the Senior Bowl roster the week of the event. What did that invitation mean to you, and how quick was that turnaround of getting you down to Mobile?

VM: It was a pretty cool experience, definitely one of those things you want to put on your checklist, but it was a cool opportunity, awesome, and [I’m] honored. I was at Exos on Tuesday, I got the call Tuesday and went down to Mobile on Tuesday.

JI: How was it being able to talk to NFL teams, and what kind of feedback did you get from them?

VM: That went really well. For them, to be able to be hands-on and really get to talk to me personally, not just hear from somebody else, but for me to be hands-on and be able to see the type of person I am, the type of football player I am, and the type of things I bring to life and in the game, and what I bring to an organization. It was cool to let them see that and get to have conversation with them.

JI: Which safeties have you grown up idolizing?

VM: There’s so many people. I would say all-time, like probably my all-time guy’s Ed Reed. That’s somebody I kind of patterned my game after a little bit. Tyrann Mathieu, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Budda Baker. Jessie Bates is somebody that’s been doing really well. Eddie Jackson’s a guy who’s been pretty consistent. So it’s a lot of guys, Jamal Adams, the list goes on and on and on. I’m a student of the game. I watch all of these guys and always trying to take certain things from their game and apply it to mine so I can continue to grow and be better.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

JI: How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?

VM: Podcasting, watching movies, TV shows, video games, those are all things I like to do. I’m very laid back, I would say, and reserved when I get off the field. I’m always just handling my business. I’m really big into media and broadcasting, so I’m always trying to watch film. I’m always trying to do interviews, anything like that, just to continue to get better and better at it.

JI: Is media or broadcasting something you’d have interest in after your NFL career?

VM: 100 percent. I’ve had a podcast – we haven’t released episodes – but I’ve had a podcast through our media school; it’s something I’m passionate about. I got a degree in political science just so I can do more than just football. I can have a perspective on the entire world. I’ve mainly probably want to go into sports and football.

JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?

VM: You’d be getting “The General.” Somebody that is a leader on and off the field. Come in right away, get guys to gravitate towards him and somebody that can lead an entire defense and not just a secondary. A playmaker, A versatile playmaker can play anywhere. Then as well off the field, somebody with good character, somebody that does everything right, someone where people would look around and emulate him, want to be like him because he does everything right. He treats people the right way, he gives back to his community. All of that, I feel like to bring to any type of franchise.

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Colts add OT, S in Pro Football Network 3-round mock draft

In Pro Football Network’s latest three-round mock, the Colts added an OT and safety.

The Indianapolis Colts are still months away from the 2022 NFL draft but with the Senior Bowl now behind us, the stock of players is coming into focus.

Without a first-round pick due to the Carson Wentz trade, the Colts won’t be on the clock until No. 47 overall. Where they go when they are on the clock is likely to remain a mystery even up until the selection.

In the latest three-round mock draft from Dalton Miller of Pro Football Network, the Colts added to a pair of major needs.

At No. 47 overall, the Colts added former UCLA offensive tackle Sean Rhyan. Given the massive hole at left tackle, it wouldn’t be a shock at all if the Colts used one of their early picks at the position.

Here is a quick snippet on Rhyan from the Pro Football Focus 2022 draft guide:

Rhyan is a physical run-blocker who currently plays tackle for UCLA but likely profiles best to guard in the NFL. He took a massive step forward in 2021, with his overall grade going from 73.9 to 83.7.

With the No. 82 overall pick in this mock draft, the Colts added to the safety position by selecting former Oregon safety Verone McKinley III.

The safety position is one of need for the Colts but with Gus Bradley taking over as defensive coordinator, the position becomes even more of a need given his knack for single-high and three-safety packages.

According to Pro Football Focus, McKinley was used mostly as a deep safety but spent some time in the box as well with Oregon. He recorded 11 interceptions in the last three seasons.

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Verone McKinley added to 2022 Senior Bowl roster

The General is headed to the Senior Bowl. Verone McKinley will look to enhance his NFL draft stock in front of NFL coaches and GMs in the coming days.

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One of the best players on the Oregon Ducks 2021 roster is getting a boost heading into the 2022 NFL draft. He was added to the Senior Bowl roster on Tuesday.

Verone McKinley, who finished the 2021 season with 44 tackles and 6 interceptions in 14 games, will be among the best veteran players in college football looking to enhance their draft value in the senior showcase, which is orchestrated by NFL coaches and GMs as they get an up-close look at some of the talent coming into the draft.

McKinley is among the best safeties in the upcoming draft class, having finished his college career with 100 total tackles, 11 interceptions and 21 passes defended. This early, it’s hard to project where he might go in the draft, but it’s hard to believe he would slip past the fourth or fifth round.

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3 offensive keys to the game as the Oklahoma Sooners take on the Oregon Ducks in the Valero Alamo Bowl

Looking to end the season on the high note, what do the Oklahoma Sooners need to do offensively to defeat the Oregon Ducks?

Well, we’ve finally made it. The final game of the season for this year’s version of the Oklahoma Sooners. While many had hoped the Sooners would be playing on New Year’s Eve in the College Football Playoffs things didn’t quite work out that way. Instead, they’ll be suiting up one last time in San Antonio to take on the Oregon Ducks in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Bob Stoops will lead the charge as the interim head coach before giving way to new head coach Brent Venables. With Riley’s exit, the Sooners also lost their play-caller. While Jeff Lebby will be the head man in charge of the offense after this game as well, Cale Gundy will take the reigns as a first-time play-caller in 23 years of coaching.

Gundy’s one-game stint as play-caller means we have no prior data or information to go off of in regards to how Gunday plans to call a game. With that said, let’s take a look at the offensive keys to the game that could help Gundy’s first stint as a play-caller be a success.

If They Block, They Score

Oklahoma wasn’t their usual high octane offense from start to finish this season. Instead it was inconsistent performance at times. The defense seemed more reliable than the Jekyll and Hyde offense the Sooners put on display.

At the root of that was the play of the offensive line. The team struggled to put together games of dominance consistently, at least to the level the great offenses produced during Riley’s tenure. For most of these starters, save Tyrese Robinson and Marquis Hayes, they’ll likely be coming  back for 2022. If guys like Andrew Raym, Anton Harrison, and Chris Murray put together a good game to generate some positive momentum, look for the Sooners to score and score a lot.

Games like the second half against Texas, the TCU game, or the Texas Tech game are just a few examples that when the offensive line played well, the Sooners could no wrong offensively.

When you factor in the fact that Oregon will be without 17 players on defense. a bunch of those 17 players were players entered the season on their two-deep. And the biggest loss is that of Kayvon Thibodeax, who opted-out for the NFL draft. The goal of this game should be to attack his replacement and get started fast.

Up Next: Share the Sugar

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11 Oregon Ducks who may declare for 2022 NFL draft in the near future

Over the next few weeks, we will likely see a lot of Oregon players make decisions about declaring for the 2022 NFL draft. Which Ducks should we keep an eye on?

As the 2021 college football officially winds to a close over the next 10 days, with the finale for the Oregon Ducks coming on December 29th in the Alamo Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners, we are going to start to see players make decisions about their futures.

For many, this means making a call on whether or not they will be declaring for the 2022 NFL draft, or staying in Eugene for another year to play under Dan Lanning in his first season with the Ducks.

So far, we’ve already seen a number of players make their decisions known, kicked off by DE Kayvon Thibodeaux announcing soon after the Pac-12 Championship game that he will be leaving for the next level. This was obviously expected, with Thibodeaux projected to be a top-5 pick next April. We’ve also seen guys like Devon Williams, Mykael Wright, and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu declare for the draft, while guys like Bennett Williams and Alex Forsyth have said they’re coming back in 2022.

So who are some other names that we should look out for to make their decisions public over the next couple of weeks? These guys should be at the top of the list:

‘AB is our guy, he’s our leader:’ Oregon offense stands up for QB Anthony Brown while boos rain down from fans

“AB is our guy, we’re rolling with him regardless.”
Anthony Brown’s play elicited boos from the crowd on Friday night, but his teammates stood beside him.

If you were to wake up on Saturday morning and simply look at the box score from Oregon’s 24-17 win over the Cal Golden Bears, not much would shock you about QB Anthony Brown’s night.

In fact, the numbers he put up were actually pretty impressive — 20-for-28 with 244 yards and 1 TD, plus 59 yards and 1 TD on the ground. However, the reaction from the Ducks fanbase was less than welcoming, with a flurry of boos coming from the student section early in the game, and continuing throughout the night.

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The boos stemmed from frustration over the offense’s inability to be productive. Oregon is a school that is synonymous with putting up egregious numbers on the scoreboard, and making games against middling Pac-12 teams boring to watch in the second half. This Oregon team doesn’t fit under that category. They often put up enough points to win the game, but they don’t make it look easy.

So early in this game, when the Ducks were forced to settle for a field goal after entering the redzone, or when they turned the ball over on downs when Brown threw a three-yard pass on a 4th and 6 situation, the boos started. Later in the game, with Oregon trailing, loud chants of “We want Thompson” came from the crowd, with true freshman QB Ty Thompson eliciting loud cheers as he stayed loose during timeouts.

So what did Brown do in response? Eventually, he led a pair of 60-plus yard scoring drives that tied the game and gave Oregon a lead in the fourth quarter.

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“At the end of the day, it really motivated us,” said center Ryan Walk. “You want to say that you didn’t notice it, but I’m not going to lie to you, we all noticed it. You can’t sit there and be like ‘Oh well I didn’t notice it.’ Yea, you noticed it. It motivated us. The O-line went to AB and said ‘Hey, we’ve got your back, have our back.’ And that’s what we showed on those last two drives. We’ve got each other’s backs. AB is our guy, he’s our leader, and we’re rolling with him regardless.”

Results aside, having your offense booed in front of a home crowd is never a good thing. Fans may think it will encourage change, but it will more quickly have a negative impact with confidence often soaring out the window. Luckily, Brown is a sixth-year senior who is familiar with blocking out the noise and getting back to business on the field.

“I thought he did a good job of handling it,” said safety Verone McKinley III. “Not everybody understands football; not everyone understands what’s going on in the system, or the concepts that are being run and what they’re looking for. So for people to boo, it’s kind of disappointing. But at the same time, we’ve got to worry about us. We can’t let the crowd affect us, and I think Anthony did a good job of getting guys back rallied up and going down and leading that drive at the end to get us a score.”

Brown responded well to the overwhelming criticism on Friday night, but you have to wonder how much the coaching staff and players took note of the uneasiness of the crowd. They can say that AB is their guy, but will disapproval from a fanbase at least force them to look at the shortcomings from the quarterback?

That’s a question that we don’t have an answer to, but one that we’ve been encouraging Mario Cristobal to look at in-depth. For now, though, it’s pretty clear that there is no QB change on the horizon, and the Ducks are going to stick with their sixth-year senior, for better or for worse.

“AB is our guy,” Walk repeated on Friday night. “We’re going to roll with him. He’s our leader.”

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In Oregon’s secondary, a healthy competition between defensive backs has fueled turnovers

The Ducks lead the nation in interceptions, led by Verone McKinley III and Bennett Williams. A healthy competition between the two has fueled the spike.

The Oregon Ducks are tied for the top spot in the nation when it comes to interceptions with a total of 9 through four games. Safety Verone McKinley has 4 of those, which is tied for first in the nation. Safety Bennett Williams has 3 others, tied for third in the nation.

As a team, the Ducks boast a +12 turnover margin, which is the best in all of college football through four games. The offense hasn’t been a world-beater thus far, and the defense is giving up more yardage than we expected before the season, but Oregon is undefeated and is in a prime position going into October, and the secondary is playing as well as almost any iteration of the team in years.

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How have they done it? Through a healthy dose of competition in the locker room, according to McKinley.

“It’s it’s definitely been huge because Bennett got the first one in Arizona, and he was like, ‘I’m tied with you.’ So I was like, ‘Oh no, not for long,'” McKinley said on Tuesdsay. “And so, that competition is something you want in the defensive back room and you know, everybody’s pushing to beat each other. That’s what makes it fun to have that competitive spirit in our room makes it even more fun.”

McKinley is currently on pace for 12 interceptions this season, which is one shy of the record set by George Shaw back in 1951. Williams is on pace for 9 picks. Mykael Wright is on pace for three.

No matter how the season ends, there is a good chance that this Oregon team breaks the school record for most INTs in a single season, which currently sits at 26, set back in 2012. Even with the ultimate goal of winning still standing as to main priority, and a potentially record-breaking season in reach, you can guarantee that these guys will be competing with each other until the end. It’s the DB’s natural way and something that’s pushed them to greatness thus far.

No need to switch things up now.

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Making Grades: Arizona game presents a mixed bag of the good, bad and the ugly

It was definitely a mixed bag when it came to grades this past week in the 41-19 win over Arizona. Here’s a look at the report card:

The report card this week is going to be a bit different because well, the Arizona game was a bit different.

It was a game where the Ducks came out on top on the scoreboard, but the grades probably won’t reflect a 22-point win over a conference opponent. Grades will be vastly different even within the offense and defense. For example, the defensive line probably had its worst game of the year, but the secondary had their best game.

After the Ducks defeated the Wildcats 41-19, it just didn’t feel like a win to celebrate. Oregon has a lot to work on this week as they prepare to go down to The Farm and take on a tough Stanford team. Let’s get into the report card:

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK

Grade: B

One could tell that something just wasn’t quite right with Brown, whether it was the effect of the injury he sustained the previous week against Stony Brook or the stout Arizona defense. He was 10-of-21 for 206 yards, but it’s the three touchdown strikes that elevate his grade to a B. He was good enough but good enough likely isn’t going to cut it as the conference season rolls along.

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Oregon Ducks Player of the Game: Free Safety Verone McKinley III

The Oregon Ducks got contributions from most of the roster on Saturday, but Verone McKinley III’s two interceptions make him player of the game.

The Oregon Ducks rebounded from a slow start to cruise to an easy 48-7 victory over the Stony Brook Seawolves on Saturday.

While there were certainly plenty of options to choose from as the team’s player of the game, it is hard to ignore the game free safety Verone McKinley III had.

McKinley had three combined tackles and picked off two passes, giving him an NCAA leading three interceptions on the season.

Coach Mario Cristobal had plenty of praise to heap on the third year defensive back after the game:

“Well, this guy’s a student of the game now, he understands it inside and out,” Cristobal said. “Not only what we’re doing on defense, but what the offense is doing. He understands his formations, he understands route running. He studies receivers really well; formations really well. he’s just got a different level football IQ and then you see the way he’s worked on his body. He is fast he’s explosive, he’s a ball hawk and he’s got great ball skills.”

McKinley led the Pac-12 with four interceptions as a freshman in 2019, but only managed to pick off one pass in the shortened 2020 campaign. Now, he’s on pace to break records in Oregon’s secondary, thanks to his relentless work ethic and improved athleticism over the past year or so.

“He’s been a game changer for us,” Cristobal continued. “And the best part about that he’s not satisfied, he’s hungry. He wants more. He wants to take on more and that leadership role. He’s just strong, man. I can’t say enough good things about Verone McKinley.”

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Trikweze Bridges and Dontae Manning take Oregon’s cornerback battle down to the wire

A competition for the starting boundary CB spot has boiled down to Trikweze Bridges vs. Dontae Manning, with the ultimate decision looming.

While virtually the entire depth chart for the Oregon Ducks is expected to be nailed down later this week, head coach Mario Cristobal said on Tuesday that there are a few positions that might take a little bit more time to determine the starter.

One of those positions is surely in the defensive secondary at the cornerback spot. With the loss of DJ James, who was indefinitely suspended after an alleged airsoft gun incident before fall camp, a starting spot at the boundary CB position opened up. Throughout the first two weeks of camp, a couple of players have been in a heated competition for the starting spot, in second-year freshman Dontae Manning, and third-year freshman Trikweze Bridges.

The two players are more different than they are alike. Manning was a 5-star recruit out of Kansas City who stands 6-feet tall, 185 pounds. Bridges, meanwhile, is 6-foot-3 with a massive 7-foot-2 inch wingspan.

Though different body types, the duo has been formidable so far this summer, putting all of the pressure on the coaching staff to determine the top guy.

“Anytime you get competition in camp, it’s going to be a back-and-forth deal,” said Oregon’s cornerback’s coach Rod Chance. “I think both of them are such different players. You’ve got one guy who’s really long; has a long lever, a press coverage guy. And the other guy is tightly wound and has a lot of twitch, a lot of explosiveness about him.”

Though Bridges was not as high profile coming into Eugene as a three-star recruit, he has surely played himself into contention for a starting job in his second full season with the Ducks. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Bridges had two solo tackles while appearing in all seven games.

“Both of those guys are battling day-in and day-out, sometimes by the period,” Chance said. “Sometimes one guy has a better period when the competition is coming, and the next guy picks it up the next period.”

Manning is the player with all of the gravitas at the start of his career. As the 12th highest recruit in Oregon Ducks football history, there’s a belief that he will be one of the mainstays of the defense during his time in Eugene.

Though he was on campus in 2020, a hamstring injury suffered right before fall camp ultimately held him out of action. Now that he is back healthy with a full offseason under his belt, things are heading in the right direction for the freshman.

“In my mind, he’s a true freshman. He hasn’t had that full opportunity to get the training and the grinding or the fundamentals of what we’re doing,” Chance said. “So it’s leaps and bounds from where he was last year just because he’s getting those reps, but he’s a phenomenal athlete and we’re just trying to continue to hone in on his consistency and his process.”

While it is two young players with minimal experience vying for that top spot on the boundary, both guys have shown throughout the summer that they are capable of getting the job done. With veterans around them in Mykael Wright and Verone McKinley, there should be little worry about Oregon’s secondary this coming season.

“They’ve done a great job, both making plays, both flying around,” McKinley said after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s hard to just pick one because both of them are playing well so I know they’ll both be in the rotation.”

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