DALLAS — With the 2022 NFL Draft just days away, teams are on the clock, which puts prospects on edge. If you were to scout the talent of this defensive back draft class, you'd find a lot of capable players. However, there’s only a handful who are widely considered the best in college football last year. Carrollton, Texas, native and former University of Oregon star Verone McKinley III is one of those names.
“This is the biggest job interview of your life and you are just trying to do the very best that you’ve ever done because people are going to pay you to play football,” said McKinley. “It’s fun. It’s something that’s a children’s game, but it can be a career for so many.”
No one understands the process more than McKinley’s trainer, Clay Mack.
“It’s a grueling process,” Mack said. “Not just physically, but mentally on these guys. They control the controllables but the uncontrollables are exactly that. We just don’t know.”
McKinley’s playmaking ability is pretty cut and dried. But for as dominant as he was in college, there are still some blemishes on his draft report. According to his NFL player bio, McKinley’s “size and strength is lower on the NFL spectrum, he’s overpowered when matched with size in the box and his short arms lead to inconsistent finishing of tackles.” McKinley, however, embraces the criticism.
“Everybody wants to find a knock. That’s part of the draft. They’re trying to see why we shouldn’t draft you,” McKinley said. “I feel like I’m somebody who has done it all. I’ve played snaps in the box, I play physical, I’ve done everything.”
The NFL has been his dream since the first day he strapped on a helmet.
“The dream started when I was 5 years old. But I wouldn’t say I thought it could be attainable until I got older,” he said. “Once I got to college and became an impact player, that’s when it hit. Like, OK, this can become a reality.”
Mack has been training McKinley since he was in the fifth grade. So, hearing his name called on draft day is going to strike a special chord.
“Oh, it’s emotional,” Mack said. “I don’t have a son. I have a daughter. Naturally, I love my daughter to death. But when it comes to Verone and the other players I coach, they’re like my sons. I’m still trying to contain my excitement. I’m just super proud of [Verone] and everything he’s accomplished.”
“You see guys who are emotional about it. And of course it’s a lifelong dream. But at the same time, it’s just the beginning,” Verone said.
The NFL Draft will begin Thursday, April 28 and end Saturday, April 30.