Prospect preview: Takkarist McKinley

McKinley presents the classic case of breakout player and in-season riser. It is not unwise to be wary of this type of player, but his skill-set shows good traits.

What he does best:

McKinley is a freak. One look at his body is all one needs to be impressed. He combines good size with great athleticism. McKinley's bull rush has not been stopped in college. He plays with great leverage and is consistent with his hand placement, finding the inside of tackles' breastplates with regularity. His athleticism then takes over and the torque in his hips allows him to drive tackles back. His athleticism gives him a good baseline to build on as a pass rusher.

Where he needs to improve:

McKinley's bull rush could be even more effective if he threatened tackles' outside shoulder. By extending his stride length, tackles will be forced to open their hips, thus getting them off balance. Threatening the outside shoulder will make full use of McKinley's athleticism, in this instance converting his speed to raw power.

Fit with the Ravens:

McKinley fits as a Rush or SAM linebacker in the Ravens scheme. His game presents enough athleticism as a baseline to be built on. He could develop into the heir apparent to Terrell Suggs.

Best performances:

As seen on draftbreakdown.com, McKinley shines against Colorado and Utah.