DJ McKinney is a cornerback from Colorado who is ranked No. 84 on my NFL Draft Top 100 Big Board. This comprehensive scouting report analyzes McKinney’s draft potential, current mock draft trends, and where he ranks among the top prospects.
DJ McKinney’s NFL Draft Potential
After a strong 2024 campaign opposite Travis Hunter, DJ McKinney’s stock has fallen a bit — but he still has the athletic gifts and the temperament worth monitoring as a potential early-round candidate.
At 6’2″, 180 pounds, McKinney’s vertical explosiveness and recalibrated athleticism are both phenomenal, and he’s flashed exciting technical variation; he can play in press-man, off-man, or manage space in side-saddle and zone. McKinney still needs to refine his technical efficiency, and he still struggles with getting his head around to find the ball in vertical trail, but the physical foundation and schematic flexibility are those of an eventual NFL starter.
CFB Week 9 Update
The Utah offense dominated Colorado on the ground. Thus, McKinney wasn’t tested too much as a coverage defender. But even in support, McKinney’s inconsistent angle IQ and effort down the stretch contributed to some big plays allowed on his side of the field. McKinney was far from the only defender that struggled or lacked fire down the stretch when the game was safely out of reach, but he’ll need to rebound against Arizona this coming week if he wants to work toward recapturing his early-round appeal.
CFB Week 10 Update
McKinney was an unfortunate victim in Arizona’s dominant victory over Colorado in Week 10. The redshirt junior was beat for a touchdown early on an end-zone fade — a play where he first failed to properly match the WR’s stem angle in off-man, then failed to get his head around and track the ball while trailing out of the break.
McKinney did have a few nice press-man and mirror-motor reps later in the game, and the athletic tools remain appealing. But the lapses in coverage and ball tracking still occur too often, and he at times appears checked out as a run support and pursuit defender. McKinney will drop down my board on the next update, and his best course might be to return to school and transfer.
Where Is McKinney Being Selected Most Often in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator?
McKinney currently holds the No. 69 overall rank among prospects, reflecting his standing among mid-round prospects. His most recent Average Draft Position (ADP) of 68.4 as of October 27 reflects that he is typically being selected on Day 2 or early Day 3.
This small gap between rank and ADP suggests he’s consistently valued among evaluators, even amid fluctuations in player evaluations at this stage of the draft cycle.
Users controlling the Arizona Cardinals have been the team that selected McKinney the most frequently over the past week, accounting for 4.4% of their picks across all seven rounds. Notably, 9.9% of the Arizona Cardinals’ first-round selections over that same period were used on McKinney, underscoring users’ strong preference for him as a potential immediate-impact cornerback.
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Where Does DJ McKinney Rank Amongst Other NFL Draft Prospects?
McKinney is currently ranked No. 84 overall in my October 2026 NFL Draft Big Board. Among CB prospects, McKinney ranks 13th at the position, trailing prospects like Mansoor Delane, Jermod McCoy, Keith Abney II. Currently ranked in the top 100, McKinney will look to increase their draft stock in the coming months.
Want to see how we rank all the draft prospects in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator? Check out our NFL Draft Prospect Rankings page, which includes more than 750 prospects.
