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Quotes (4/24): 2020 second round pick Xavier McKinney talks about being drafted by the Giants

Q: With your versatility playing deep safety, down in the nickel, crashing the box, what do you enjoy the most and what do you think you bring to this defense most of all?

A: I like doing it all. I like playing as many positions as I can on the field. I just like making plays for my teammates and helping my team be successful. So for me, that's pretty much my main goal. As far as what I can provide for the team, it really is whatever coach wants me to do. I always do what's asked of me and I try to do it at a high level. So, whatever I'm asked to do, then I'll adapt to it and I'll be able to do it.

Q: I understand that a lot of your tattoos you designed yourself. I just wanted to ask about your creativity and how you bring that creativity onto the field?

A: Yeah, I appreciate that question. It's just something that I like to do in my free time. If I'm ever bored or ever kind of get to thinking, then I try to put the pencil on paper. For me, it's pretty fun being able to do it and draw my tattoos. But as far as what I bring onto the field as far as creativity, I just try to do as much as I can to help my teammates and help put us in the best possible position to win.

Q: How much did you communicate with the Giants, if at all, throughout the draft process and what's your impression from your conversations with them?

A: I communicated with them a good bit, especially towards this ending part of it with us not having pro day and stuff like that. So, I've been in contact with them a few times and I always got a good vibe with them. It was people I felt comfortable with, it was coaches I felt comfortable with. Just knowing that everything was smooth when we talked, and they were more just trying to get to know me as a person instead of a player because they already knew what I could do on the field. They wanted to know what I could do off the field. But you know, I enjoyed talking to them. I'm surely very happy, very excited that they were able to draft me.

Q: I'm sure Coach Judge had a lot of conversations with Coach Saban about you. I'm wondering if you had any conversations with Coach Saban about Coach Judge and if he kind of helped you understand what you're getting yourself into here?

A: No, I actually haven't talked to Coach Saban about Coach Judge. I didn't even know, I just kind of found out pretty recently that Coach Judge coached at Bama. I didn't know. But now that I know they pretty much...there's a lot of things that are going to be similar to how it was at school, and that's how I like it. I'm very excited for the opportunity.

Q: How surprised were you that you were drafted today and not yesterday?

A: Very surprised. Of course, I thought I was going to get drafted yesterday, but you know, it is what it is. I'm happy to be a Giant and that's all that matters right now.

Q: Joe Judge told us a story earlier that two years ago in the spring he was scouting some other guys for Alabama and he remembers the impression that you left on him then in practice, kind of being all over the field. Throughout this process, even going back one to two years, were you conscious of the fact that all eyes were on you and things that you did two years ago may come to help you on draft night?

A: No, not really. I'm a type of guy that tries to focus on what's going on right now. At that point in time, I was focused on the season, I was focused on winning, trying to win a national championship. So for me, I was always trying to do the right thing for myself but not only for myself, but for my teammates. I wasn't too much focused on all the things that would come later on down the road because I didn't know what would come. I always try to do the right thing and try to set myself up to be in the best position as possible.

View photos of former Alabama S Xavier McKinney.

Q: I noticed on Twitter that Jabrill Peppers had reached out to you. I didn't know if you had a previous relationship with him, if you know him at all, and what do you think about being on the back end with a guy like that?

A: Yeah, I actually followed him when he was coming out because he was also a safety that played a lot of positions in college when he came out. I'm a big fan of him, I watch his game. I actually haven't been able to see that he reached out, I've got to check that. But, I'm excited and I'm ready to see what's in store for me when I get up to New York.

Q: You said you thought you'd get picked in the first round. How much do you think the 40 (yard dash) time hurt you and can you explain how you got cramps or just what happened at the combine?

A: I don't know how much it hurt me. To be honest, I really don't care that much about the 40 anyways. I think like I've said before, my tape says it all. It's something that outweighs the 40 anyways because, of course, I play way faster than what that 40 said. But when I did run the 40, I did have cramps. A lot of it was due to just the setup of how the combine was, things that I wasn't necessarily prepared for or didn't really know how the schedule would be. But you know, it is what it is. Everything happens for a reason. Like I've said before, I'm excited for this moment and I'm excited to be a Giant.

Q: What have the coaches told you about the defense and how you might fit into the defense? How do you think your skill set is going to complement Jabrill Peppers?

A: I'm not sure much about the defense right now. When I talked to the staff previously, we weren't really talking much about football. It was more about them trying to get to know me and who I was off the field. We haven't gotten into much depth about what is going to happen on the field. As far as what my role might be, of course, I don't know. I am able to adjust to anything that is thrown at me and I'm ready for whatever they might want me to do. I think I can do anything that they ask me for. I'm ready for the moment.

Q: Those battles at practice where you saw Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, do you think that makes all of you that much better coming into the NFL and if so, how?

A: I think so. Like I said before, those are first round guys as you have seen yesterday. Being able to compete against those guys at that level has been helpful for me and the people around me. I think that helps a lot going into the NFL. A lot of times in the NFL you will see guys like that every week instead of just one week and then you get a rest week where you may not have the best receiver like it is in college. In the NFL, there's going to be good receivers week in and week out. It helps, it helped me prepare and get ready for this moment.

Q: Do you pride yourself on being a playmaker?

A: I do. I just try to make as many plays for my team as I can. I like to put my teammates in the best position possible in whatever way that I can to help the team be successful in any part of the game. Whether that's special teams, whether that's playing on defense, wherever it is, I try to make sure I put my teammates in the best possible situation that we can be in. I do pride myself on being a playmaker.

Q: You played for Nick Saban, who runs a tight ship, an authoritative coach, what he says goes. Joe Judge has started off here running a similar program. How do you thrive in a program where the head coach has a strong personality and where there is a ton of structure to how they want things to run?

A: I'm good with structure. It's never been a problem for me, it wasn't a problem when I went into school as a freshman. Those are the things that I like a lot. I actually love having that structure and having that strict almost tight ship being ran by the coaches. For me, I always do what I'm asked to do, and I try to do it at a high level. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to win. I'll do whatever it takes to be able to win games and anything I can to help.

Q: First of all, I just want to make sure everyone in your family is healthy. How have you been able to keep in shape? How do you plan on moving forward with that plan in the next couple of weeks before you can get up here?

A: Everybody is doing well. I have been following the restrictions and certain stuff that we can and cannot do. I've still been able to jog around the neighborhood or do some yoga in the house. I've still been able to do some position work on the field. I'm still trying to restrict it as much as I can so it's not all the time. I want to keep everyone else around me safe.

Q: The Cowboys picked Travon Diggs and the Eagles picked Jalen Hurts. What's that going to be like in these NFC East battles with you going against two of your former teammates?

A: It's going to be fun. Those are my guys, I actually just talked to Tray today and I talked to Jalen, I think, a couple days ago. Those are my guys, it's definitely going to be fun. I'm going to be really excited to see them and play against them again.

Q: Do the Alabama guys take those battles pretty seriously?

A: Yeah, we do. Even in practice whenever we are going against each other. Me and Tray were on the same side, but we always competed to see who got the most picks for the day and we also did it for the game. We definitely take those very seriously and it gets really competitive.

Q: I'm sure you ran the 40 at Alabama and you did it in your training. Was your time significantly better (than the combine)?

A: Yeah, for sure. The time that I ran at the combine, that was a fake time. I caught cramps before I actually ran. That was actually my worst time throughout the whole process. My best time was a 4.52 when I was training. If I got to do the pro day, I thought I was going to run a good time. I'm not too worried about the 40. That's why I didn't run it again. I knew my tape said it all and I didn't have anything to prove running the 40. There was no reason for me to do that.

Q: Do you look at yourself as a free safety or strong safety? Do you put that label on yourself?

A: I consider myself a DB. A DB is somebody that can play safety, free safety, corner, slot nickel, anywhere. I'm a versatile DB, that's what I consider myself.

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