With The First Pick
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Alabama S Xavier McKinney declares for 2020 NFL Draft

By Cory Kinnan

TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 10: Xavier McKinney #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide knocks down a pass by Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 10: Xavier McKinney #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide knocks down a pass by Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Safety Xavier McKinney has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Safety Xavier McKinney has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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Xavier McKinney S

Alabama Crimson Tide Football
Alabama Crimson Tide Football /

Scouting Report

After a successful 2019 campaign with the Alabama Crimson Tide, safety Xavier McKinney has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

After a flurry of rumors about who was staying and who was leaving from the Alabama Crimson Tide, safety Xavier McKinney joins Jerry Jeudy and Jedrick Wills of players who are heading to the 2020 NFL Draft. There are still a few key underclassmen yet to make a decision, but one of the top safeties in the country is in after receiving a first round grade from the advisory committee.

Graded above LSU’s Grant Delpit as this year’s top safety in the 2020 NFL Draft class, McKinney was a consistent and key force, rarely finding himself out of position and stuffing the stat sheet. McKinney looks like a first rounder at this point in the pre-draft process, but will need to continue to wow NFL teams throughout the combine and interviews.

This season, McKinney racked up a solid 59 solo tackles from the third level of the Alabama defense, added five and a half tackles for loss and three sacks, picked off three passes, defended another five, forced four fumbles, and scored a defensive touchdown as well. For his career, McKinney finishes with 108 solo tackles in three seasons, 13 tackles for loss, six sacks, five interceptions, 15 passes defended, and six forced fumbles.

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"“My time is Tuscaloosa has been special, but I have reached a point in my career where I have made a decision about my future. With much thought and consideration, I would like to announce that I will be declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft (McKinney via Kyle Crabbs)."

A fast, rangy safety, McKinney shows the ability to thrive downhill in run support and over the top in zone coverage. It is hard to find a smarter, more responsible defensive back in the nation than McKinney as the Crimson Tide defense loses a big one.

A versatile player, McKinney has flashed the ability to play as a pure safety over the top, in space as a nickel, and can stack the box as well. With the absence of Dylan Moses this year for the Crimson Tide, McKinney was the anchor of their defense.

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His time in Tuscaloosa is over as McKinney is ready to take his talents to Indianapolis, Indiana for the combine, then Las Vegas, Nevada for the draft. McKinney is a day-one starter who will have a short learning curve at the next level; the top rated safety on this writer’s board, McKinney is going to be a star at the next level.

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