2020 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Xavier McKinney

2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2020 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Trey Adams, OT, Washington Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State Cam Akers, RB, Florida State Bradley Anae, DE, Utah Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU Jordyn Brooks, ILB, Texas Tech Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Joe Burrow, QB, LSU K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame Nick Coe, DE, Auburn Lloyd Cushenberry, C, LSU Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State Marlon Davidson, DE, Auburn Ashtyn Davis, S, California Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama Grant Delpit, S, LSU Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne Troy Dye, LB, Oregon J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State Jacob Eason, QB, Washington Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU Jon Greenard, DE, Florida Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA Robert Hunt, G, La.-Lafayette Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn Austin Jackson, OT, USC Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah Josh Jones, OT, Houston Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma Walker Little, OT, Stanford Jordan Love, QB, Utah State Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama Zack Moss, RB, Utah Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri Patrick Queen, LB, LSU Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson Trey Smith, OT, Tennessee D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

Xavier McKinney, 6-1/200 Safety Alabama

Xavier McKinney Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Instinctive

Tremendous coverage safety

Can play single high safety

Covers a lot of ground

Keeps plays in front of him

Steady at covering receivers over the top

Good vision, eye discipline

Man-coverage ability on tight ends

Man-coverage ability on slot receivers

Asset to defend big receivers

Asset to defend speed receivers downfield

Fluid; can flip his hips and run

Always around the ball

Solid run defender

Very tough

Willing tackler

Interchangeable to play free or strong safety

Should be able to play quickly

Experienced and successful against good college talent

Versatile

Experience against quality competition

Weaknesses:

Thinner frame

Needs to get stronger to tackle

Could stand to improve his ability to make plays on the ball

Summary: Alabama has been a factory for first-round defensive backs under Nick Saban, and McKinney will continue the tradition in 2020. McKinney broke out in 2018 as Alabama’s best defensive back. He totaled 73 tackles with 10 breakups, two interceptions and one forced fumble on the year. He was even better in 2019 and was the best defender on Alabama’s defense while totaling 95 tackles with three interceptions, three sacks, five passes defended and four forced fumbles.

In pass coverage, McKinney is a do-it-all safety who it tailor made for today’s NFL. He can do anything and everything that pro teams ask of their safeties. McKinney has the man-coverage skills to play cornerback against slot receivers and also play man-to-man on receiving tight ends. With his speed, athleticism and instincts, McKinney does a superb job of running with them and preventing separation. He also can play free safety in the deep part of the field, covering a lot of ground and keeping offenses from getting receivers open deep over the top. McKinney additionally has the ability to cover in zone in the short part of the field, something typically reserved for strong safeties. Defensive coordinators are going to love having McKinney in their secondary because he can be a problem solver.

In the ground game, McKinney is tough and can tackle. While he doesn’t have a lot of size or bulk to him, he is a willing tackler and not afraid of taking on backs. McKinney showed real toughness at Alabama and was a solid run defender for the Crimson Tide. It will be interesting to see if McKinney is able to avoid injury in the NFL given his size and the physicality.

McKinney has Pro Bowl potential at the next level and could end up being one of the top free safeties in the league. He could be a plug-and-play starter who quickly emerges as an asset for his defense. Multiple team sources say McKinney is worthy of being a top-20 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.



Player Comparison: Tyrann Mathieu. Some team sources said McKinney reminded them of Mathieu except McKinney is bigger, taller, and did not make as many splash plays as Mathieu in college. Both, however, are dynamic in coverage with ability to play a variety of positions and techniques to erase mismatches and solve coverage problems.

2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2020 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Trey Adams, OT, Washington Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State Cam Akers, RB, Florida State Bradley Anae, DE, Utah Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU Jordyn Brooks, ILB, Texas Tech Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Joe Burrow, QB, LSU K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame Nick Coe, DE, Auburn Lloyd Cushenberry, C, LSU Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State Marlon Davidson, DE, Auburn Ashtyn Davis, S, California Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama Grant Delpit, S, LSU Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne Troy Dye, LB, Oregon J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State Jacob Eason, QB, Washington Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU Jon Greenard, DE, Florida Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA Robert Hunt, G, La.-Lafayette Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn Austin Jackson, OT, USC Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah Josh Jones, OT, Houston Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma Walker Little, OT, Stanford Jordan Love, QB, Utah State Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama Zack Moss, RB, Utah Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri Patrick Queen, LB, LSU Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson Trey Smith, OT, Tennessee D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

RELATED LINKS:


2020 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








NFL Picks - Dec. 26


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 25


NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 23


2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4