There's been a lot speculation as to where Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney -- a physical, old-school linebacker stuck in an age of zone coverage and tight end seam routes -- fits in at the NFL level. At least for now, we know exactly where he fits: with the Houston Texans, who traded up with the Cleveland Browns and nabbed him with the No. 43 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft picks 2015: Benardrick McKinney taken by Texans after trade up to No. 43
Benardrick McKinney goes to the Texans after a trade up.
Derick E.Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
We know what McKinney does well: tackle anything that moves near the line of scrimmage. Playing at the middle backer spot, he led an elite Bulldogs defense in tackles in each of the last two seasons, building a reputation as one of the SEC’s most physical defenders. At 6’4, 246 pounds, he has the strength (don’t be misled by his poor bench press numbers at the combine) to shed blocks on the interior, the awareness to track down ball carriers in the backfield and the tackling ability to put them on the turf.
But in a league where a linebacker’s ability to drop back into pass coverage and fly sideline-to-sideline has become just as important as the ability to stuff the interior run, McKinney’s lack of athleticism might limit him to a two-down thumper role. His uninspiring 40-yard dash and shuttle times at the combine dropped him from what many speculated was a first-round perch. With that said, his football instincts and ability to penetrate the offensive backfield will certainly earn him playing time in Houston.
McKinney had a solid performance at the scouting combine in February, running the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds, the 3-cone drill in 7.21 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.27 seconds. He was also among the top performers in the vertical leap, measuring 40.5 inches, and also had a 121-inch broad jump.
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