It seems that not everyone is optimistic about the Green Bay Packers and their new starting safety in Xavier McKinney.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler spoke with executives, scouts, and coaches around the NFL to rank the league’s top safeties. McKinney was able to crack the list, but landed at No. 10. While at least one voter had him as high as No. 4, another had him unranked.
One anonymous coordinator acknowledged McKinney’s physical tools, but questions his overall game.
“He doesn’t scare you,” the coordinator said.
That’s a pretty harsh assessment of the young safety. The Packers gave him a four-year, $67 million contract this offseason, so Brian Gutekunst and his staff believe that he could be a potential star for their defense.
A Positive Outlook on Xavier McKinney
The anonymous coordinator wasn’t high on McKinney. But that doesn’t mean that everyone is pessimistic about his future in Green Bay.
“Versatile safety that provides scheme flexibility because of his physical attributes and athletic profile,” an NFC personnel evaluator told ESPN. “I think he’s grown over the past year in terms of his man coverage, blitz and disguise ability. He showed more this past season that he can be strategically moved around the backfield and deployed in multiple ways.”
McKinney was a second-round pick by the New York Giants back in 2020. He earned first-team All-SEC honors in his final year for the Alabama Crimson Tide, using that momentum to go pro.
Although injuries have kept McKinney off the field at times, he’s still filled the stat sheet in the NFL. He’s played in 49 games over four seasons, racking up 279 total tackles, 27 pass breakups, nine interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
The Packers are expected to utilize McKinney heavily in 2024. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley brings an aggressive new defensive scheme to Green Bay, and it’s one that could help turn McKinney into a Pro Bowler.
Green Bay’s Other New Safeties
Even after signing McKinney to a long-term deal, the Packers went ahead and triple-dipped at the safety position in the 2024 draft.
Javon Bullard was one of the team’s second-round picks, and is expected to compete for a starting job opposite of McKinney. He was a two-time national champion for the Georgia Bulldogs, and the film shows a fearless, intelligent, and versatile safety capable of playing all over the field.
However, the Packers weren’t satisfied with just drafting Bullard. Evan Williams out of Oregon is an intense downhill safety capable of blowing up all kinds of plays. Williams played four years at Fresno State, but transferred to Oregon for his final year of eligibility. He had 16 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, and four interceptions over his college career.
At the very least, he’ll operate as a special teams contributor, but could find some reps on defense.
Kitan Oladapo will also be fighting for reps. He’s a fifth-round pick out of Oregon State, earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors in his final college season. The team’s previous lack of depth at safety will give him an opportunity to get plenty of reps in training camp.
McKinney was a big signing for the Packers. But expect at least one of the rookie safeties to also play a key role at the position.
