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really hope I'm wrong about this guy.Gave up 4 and 6, got back a 7. Swapped 2s.
really hope I'm wrong about this guy.
I ****ing love the Bernardrick McKinney pick. Props to Texans.
Started every game and led the team in tackles in 2014 and 2013. Selected first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American in 2014. Selected to Freshman All-SEC Team in 2012 and took a redshirt in 2011. Was starting quarterback for Rosa Fort High School (Miss.) his senior season, finishing with 15 touchdown passes and 7 rushing touchdowns. He also finished with 34 tackles and was the team's punter.
STRENGTHS Tall, proportionally built inside linebacker with ability to play outside. Has thick, powerful legs. Good straight-line speed to chase. True take-on linebacker who can meet linemen head-on or beat them to the spot and leverage his gap with above average play strength. Scrapes and stalks while using length and powerful hands to keep himself free and clear of blockers. Steps into hole and fires into running back, finishing with wrap-up tackle. Able to run downfield in seam with tight ends. Aware of cutback lanes and rarely runs himself out of the play. Shows very good attention to assignment. Seems to have a nose for the play and is frequently in the mix. Has value on special teams and as a blitzer. Has adequate football intelligence.
WEAKNESSES Plays high and is lacking suddenness. High center of gravity causes clunky change of direction in space. Foot quickness in tight quarters is below average and limiting. Instincts against run are there, but tends to fight his feet and marginal agility. Has trouble clearing the trash near his feet and labors against cut blocks, losing lateral momentum. Potential liability against the pass. Looks stiff when asked to cover in space and gives away too much separation to routes in his area in zone coverage.
DRAFT PROJECTION Round 2
NFL COMPARISON Brian Cushing
BOTTOM LINE Productive, steady performer in the middle with above-average size and length for the position but below-average agility. McKinney plays within the scheme and finds himself near the play frequently. He plays with strength and has an ability to take on offensive linemen and get downhill to finish his tackles. McKinney looks like an above-average NFL inside linebacker who could become part of a really good defense. He lacks star-making talent, though.
I think we just got a new Cushing. Seems like the same player, only younger and pre-injury.
If Cushing can be remotely productive next year and we go into the season with Cush, Mercilus, McKinney, Simon, Bullough, and get Clowney back at some point with some degree of ability this is a sweet collection of LB's we got here.
I think we just got a new Cushing. Seems like the same player, only younger and pre-injury.
Well, there's something about him the Texans had a hard on for, or else they wouldn't have traded up for him.
Say huh? That's a pretty weak group if you ask me. Cushing is garbage. We won't know anything about how Clowney will turn out until we see him in live game action. That leaves Mercilus as our best pass rusher.
They must have .... took him with Kendricks still on the board.
I love the "Cushing is garbage" line. He was certainly not himself last year and I'll be the first to admit that this season he either shows us something or he's probably just plain done but I'm not anywhere near as pessimistic about our LB's as you are. I think we've got a pretty decent group. No star to speak of but playing behind our line with Vince and JJ they'll look a lot better than you're expecting them to.
I actually like McKinney better as a pass rusher than as an ILB. He's a very good athlete but he lacks instincts.
Skilled athlete who needs some fine tuning. Could turn into something though. Raw talent is there.
Not sure we had to trade up to get him though. He's not very scheme diverse so I don't think a lot of teams had him on their board very high.
Not sure we had to trade up to get him though. He's not very scheme diverse so I don't think a lot of teams had him on their board very high.
He has the size that Crennel likes...
Spoke to more than one scout who thought he could sneak into the first. Was surprised, but more for his edge/rush potential. Liked him better than Kendricks/Dawson/Perryman even Smith and O-diggy.
Now I know how andre johnson felt all these years. Again, our offense won't be worth a damn. Arian will probably get ran into the ground. Opposing defenses have no one to worry about other than to stop Arian.
Spoke to more than one scout who thought he could sneak into the first. Was surprised, but more for his edge/rush potential. Liked him better than Kendricks/Dawson/Perryman even Smith and O-diggy.
I like him better than all those guys except Kendricks. But again, I see him more as an edge guy.
Pros
- Ran a 4.78 40-yard dash at the Combine, with a 40.5-inch vertical leap
- Prototypical length at 6-foot-4, 246 pounds pounds and great arm length at 33 inches
- Reportedly his work ethic is off the charts (*obviously can't confirm, so take with grain of salt)
- Instinctive player in run defense. Always fills right gaps.
- Versatile and can play any linebacker position.
- Strong pass rusher with fantastic speed off the edge.
- Sideline to sideline range with tremendous lateral agility
Cons
- Avoids taking on blocks and shedding them. He tries to run around them at times.
- Way too many lapses in coverage and there's at least a few times each game where he's late in coverage.
- Is not overly aggressive
You realize Foster was not drafted? We still have a round or two to get a back if that is what you want. Chris Polk could be pretty good as a FA pickup.Now I know how andre johnson felt all these years. Again, our offense won't be worth a damn. Arian will probably get ran into the ground. Opposing defenses have no one to worry about other than to stop Arian.
I like him better than all those guys except Kendricks. But again, I see him more as an edge guy.
From BigBlueView.com: