2020 NFL Draft: Xavier McKinney Scouting Report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Alabama safety Xavier McKinney

Xavier McKinney | Safety | Alabama

Height | 6-1

Weight | 200

Strengths

Big shocker of the day, the Alabama Crimson Tide have yet another safety that could be a top draft prospect in this year’s class.

McKinney is another safety that is often spoken of in the same breath as Grant Delpit. Both safeties will be highly coveted in this year’s class. McKinney is more of the cover safety, in fact he spent some time in the nickel corner role last season due to injury. He excels in coverage with two interceptions during his sophomore year and 10 passes defended. This year back in his more natural role, McKinney added three more picks, five passes defended and four forced fumbles.

McKinney has good reactions when playing in coverage. He can close quickly when coming downhill. He will be a solid tackler at the next level because he rarely whiffs on tackle attempts. He is very much a swiss army knife in that he does a little bit of everything. He can play coverage, blitz off the edge with success or be an extra body in the box in run defense. Well rounded and seems to do everything well.

Weaknesses

While Xavier McKinney does a lot of things well he isn’t a player you want to leave one on one in coverage too often. He can get burned by his over aggressiveness in coverage. Doesn’t have elite athleticism to play center fielder as a single high safety but does enough to get the job done.

There aren’t many things that McKinney needs to improve upon. He does need to be more refined in his tackling technique as he can come in too high at times.

Bottom Line

Xavier McKinney is a top two safety in this class with his ability to play all over the defense. Some have referred to him as a poor man’s Minkah Fitzpatrick. Maybe it is the crimson jersey that he wears on Saturdays, but definitely see that in his game.

Projection: Top 40

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TDN analyst predicts 8 Alabama players in the first round

The Draft Network, a site dedicated to analyzing, predicting and breaking down the NFL Draft, has started putting out mock drafts ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. Their most recent mock draft, this time from Joe Marino, has a total of eight Alabama …

The Draft Network, a site dedicated to analyzing, predicting and breaking down the NFL Draft, has started putting out mock drafts ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Their most recent mock draft, this time from Joe Marino, has a total of eight Alabama players being selected in the first round.

Here’s where Marino believes members of the 2019 Alabama Crimson Tide will start their NFL careers:

3. Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa, QB

Marino believes that the unfortunate injuries Tagovailoa has sustained late in his Junior season aided the struggling Miami Dolphins win the ‘Tank for Tua’ sweepstakes.

7. New York Jets – Jedrick Wills, OT

The reasoning behind this pick: Sam Darnold can’t throw if Sam Darnold keeps getting sacked. He needs protection, and Wills is one of the best at offering it in this draft class.

10. Denver Broncos – Jerry Jeudy, WR

Jerry Jeudy’s route-running paired with a healthy Drew Locke? Sounds like an SEC Football reunion in Denver. Can the Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton combo replace the elite Denver duo that was Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas?

13. Oakland Raiders – Henry Ruggs III, WR

Marino’s reasoning for this pick has nothing to do with how well Ruggs would fit into the Raiders’ offensive scheme, but rather how big of a weapon he would be on an offense with his speed and versatility.

14. Cleveland Browns – Alex Leatherwood, OT

Much like the Jets’ pick of Jedrick Wills earlier in the draft, this is a team with offensive talent and promise, but they are no use if Baker Mayfield can’t get the ball off without getting hit. If the Browns want to protect Mayfield, Leatherwood is their guy.

27. New Orleans Saints – Dylan Moses, LB

Marino recognizes the fact that Moses didn’t play a single snap in the 2019 season due to injury, but cites that it shouldn’t hinder his draft stock because of how well he’s played in previous years. He believes Moses will fill a hole the Saints have in the secondary.

28. San Francisco 49ers – Xavier McKinney, S

Marino believes that McKinney could offer some versatility to the secondary that the 49ers need. He cites the different skillsets McKinney has learned while at Alabama which could make him a valuable asset to the San Fransisco defense.

32. Baltimore Ravens – Terrell Lewis, EDGE

Would the Ravens really be the Ravens if they didn’t at least consider and Alabama player for their first round pick? Marino doesn’t believe so. He also feels that Lewis could be a big help for the ravens defense as a monster with the blitz.

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Alabama football: What each NFL draft-eligible player should do

Which Alabama juniors should leave school early for the 2020 NFL Draft?

The Alabama Crimson Tide will lose several of its key players to graduation following the conclusion of the 2019 season.

Guys such as outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings, defensive lineman Raekwon Davis and cornerback Trevon Diggs are all seniors, so getting them back in 2020 is out of the question.

But what about the Crimson Tide’s third-year players who are eligible to leave early for the 2020 NFL Draft? That topic is what this article will focus on.

There are a lot of elements involved with making these sort of decisions, some of which we do not know. But here at Roll Tide Wire, we’ve decided to give you our take on which players should — or shouldn’t — leave early for the NFL.

Najee Harris, Running Back

The perfect opportunity awaits for former five-star running back Najee Harris to cash in following this season. After being limited to a rotational role in 2018, Harris was given 185 carries, turning them into 1,088 yards and 11 touchdowns.

More impressive, however, were his receiving stats. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior out of Antioch (Calif.) hauled in 27 catches for 304 yards (11.3 YPC) and a whopping seven touchdowns.

Harris proved capable of being a workhorse down the stretch too. In the final seven games, he racked up 837 total yards (637 rushing, 200 receiving) and 14 total touchdowns.

It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Harris isn’t considered one of the top running backs in the 2020 NFL Draft.

What he should do? Leave.

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Who did Colts select in Draft Wire’s latest 3-round mock draft?

A look at the Colts’ crop in the latest mock draft.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-70 are facing official elimination from the playoffs when they travel south to take on the New Orleans Saints (10-3) in a primetime matchup Monday night.

With the Colts’ season all but over, much of the focus has been shifted to who they might select in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. While that is still a long way away, it will soon become the dominating topic of discussion.

Here is who the Colts took in Draft Wire’s latest three-round mock draft:

15. DT Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina

36. WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama

46. S Xavier McKinney, Alabama

77. CB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State

What the Colts will actually do in the draft is impossible to tell. Even in the week leading up to the draft, it will be immensely difficult to figure out what direction they go in.

Many are vying for a quarterback in this year’s class. With the struggles of Jacoby Brissett and the questions that have risen with him as a franchise quarterback, there are many hoping that general manager Chris Ballard pulls the trigger if the opportunity presents itself.

If they don’t, though, there are other positions that need help as well. The Colts must add impact players to the interior defensive line. They must also add more depth to the wide receiver position.

Free agency will dictate much of what the Colts do in the draft, but there are plenty of options that could help them when April rolls around.

WATCH: Xavier McKinney’s 81 yard pick six

Alabama’s Xavier McKinney has not only recorded two interceptions, but he returned the second interception 81 yards for the Crimson Tide.

In less than 10 minutes, Alabama’s Xavier McKinney not only recorded two interceptions, but he returned the second interception 81 yards for the Crimson Tide.

Touchdown Alabama

Xavier McKinney with a Pick-6 🐘pic.twitter.com/mts5Br017N

— Alabama DieHards (@AlabamaDieHards) November 23, 2019

McKinney, who is a Jim Thorpe Award and Bednarik Award semifinalist, has been a dominate force on defense for Alabama.

Vikings take S Xavier McKinney in 1st-round of too-early mock draft

Minnesota drafted Marcus Epps in the sixth-round of the 2018 NFL Draft, but released him last week to make room for Andrew Sendejo.

Our friend Luke Easterling put together a three-round mock draft earlier this week.

Of course, the NFL season hasn’t ended yet, but the first round of the draft is starting to take shape, so we might as well speculate.

With the 24th pick, the Vikings take safety Xavier McKinney out of Alabama.

At this point in the draft process, it’s probably smarter to take a look at what position draft experts have the Vikings taking than the actual player.

The Vikings have their two starters at safety with Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris, but is an unrestricted free agent after the year.

Minnesota drafted Marcus Epps in the sixth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but released him last week to make room for Andrew Sendejo.

McKinney has 43 tackles, two sacks and an interception as a junior.