Death to Google Ads! Texans Talk Tip Jar! 🍺😎👍
Thanks for your support!

Selection 2.43 Benardrick McKinney ILB Miss. St.

Thumbs Up or Down?

  • Up

    Votes: 92 87.6%

  • Down

    Votes: 13 12.4%
  • Total voters
    105
It's showing we still have our 19th pick in the 2nd round. something is amiss unless we traded off a player or two.
 
Selection 2.43, Benardrick McKinney, ILB Mississippi State


[imgwidthsize=600]http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/296/files/2014/10/kenny-hilliard-benardrick-mckinney-ncaa-football-mississippi-state-louisiana-state-850x560.jpg[/IMG]

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.
Click to expand...

RAC gets another one. McKinney has the size he covets.
 
I've said our LBs last year, especially ILB, were a dumpster fire. Glad we're getting that addressed. JJo was sent a message yesterday, Cushing got his today.
 
Most of us wanted an ILB early and now we got one. I don't know much about McKinney but if he's starting next to Cushing and producing I'm going to like this pick.
 
Great pick. Love the guy's motor and ability to make plays. Huge addition. Paired with Mohamed who can cover, we are in good shape
 
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.
 
From Dane Brugler's Draft Guide:

0XM59y8.png
 
Hervoyel said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
HJam72 said:
I think we just got a new Cushing. Seems like the same player, only younger and pre-injury.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking. Looks promising. You know how people were saying yesterday's pick, Kevin Johnson looked slower in his highlights than his 40 time would suggest? Well McKinney's highlights look faster to me than his time indicates. I think this guy is going to light it up in this defense.
 
I love the pick. We're going to be tough to run against. Find me another edge rusher and a speedy receiver and this draft is a home run. I'd like to have an OT but I think we can get by this year with what we have.
 
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.
 
texan279 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Hervoyel said:
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.
Click to expand...

Dude was trash last year. He's definitely lost speed and agility. Alot of his tackles were made 5-10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Add to that the 3 surgeries he has had this off season and I don't know what some of you expect him to be this season. He's not some bionic superman.
 
If I recall correctly, a few years ago when we drafted DJ, the Texans were interested in drafting LB. However, all the LBs worth drafting in the 2nd rd were taken prior to our pick. This year, we moved up to draft LB of their choice. We needed ILB so, I trust our FO, BOB or RAC (whoever called this pick).
 
bah007 said:
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.
Click to expand...

Same here. I'm almost wondering if they see the versatility based on pass rush skills. SOLB in some sets and doesn't have to come off the field? Who knows... I'm not a fan of the pick at the spot. I hope he proves me wrong, but a slow, plodding, poor change of direction downhill thumper just doesn't fit the recipe for success in the NFL these days. You need lb's who don't come off the field and are truly versatile.
 
bah007 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Playoffs said:
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.
Click to expand...

I like him better than all those guys except Kendricks. But again, I see him more as an edge guy.
 
My first mock which was very early I had McKinney as Texans 1st RD pick. When it was questioned he lacked a nose for the ball along with motivation and want to I dropped him. I replaced him with Kyle Emanuel in RD 5 who I think will be a better player/ILB.
 
Playoffs said:
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.
Click to expand...

bah007 said:
I like him better than all those guys except Kendricks. But again, I see him more as an edge guy.
Click to expand...

OB loves versatility, could this guy be our new SOLB?
 
From BigBlueView.com:

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
Click to expand...
 
htowntexans1985 said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Hey the last SEC linebacker we drafted in the 2nd round worked out pretty well. Heres hoping for the same

I'm a fan of this pick
 
I preferred Kendricks but it appears judging by the trade up the Texans REALLY want Mckinney. Fits the size/playing style mold RAC wants from his ILB and provides us a much needed sure tackler in the LB core that has some speed and can plug the gaps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top