He is the leader of Alabama’s defense at free safety and is having a strong year.
Xavier McKinney has the task of getting players lined up on the field, communicating calls across the board, and then making plays himself.
He leads the Crimson Tide in tackles (56) through eight games and has two breakups, three quarterback hurries and one interception.
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In Alabama’s matchup with Arkansas, McKinney collected three tackles and shut down the Razorbacks’ passing game. The duo of Nick Starkel and John Stephens Jones went a combined 11-for-26 passing for 107 yards with one touchdown to three picks in a loss to the Tide.
According to Pro Football Focus, it developed a graphic of McKinney’s efforts on homecoming and posted it on Twitter. The native Georgian projects as a first-rounder in next year’s NFL Draft and is looked at by most analysts as the top safety in the class.
Xavier McKinney continues to shine in coverage for the Crimson Tide. pic.twitter.com/mfVXb0qj8n
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 30, 2019
While the attention is fun, he is focused on winning a national championship.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
