Xavier McKinney

Originally a 2nd-round (36th pick overall) draft choice by the Giants in 2020. In 3 years at Alabama, McKinney played in 41 games with starts in each of his last 28 games…Totaled 176 tackles (108 solo), including 13 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 5 interceptions – returning 2 for touchdowns - 20 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery.

TRANSACTIONS:

• Originally a 2nd-round (36th pick overall) draft choice by the Giants in 2020.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• In 3 years at Alabama, McKinney played in 41 games with starts in each of his last 28 games…Totaled 176 tackles (108 solo), including 13 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 5 interceptions – returning 2 for touchdowns - 20 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery.

2019:

• As a junior in 2019, started all 13 games…Named first-team All-SEC by the league's coaches and the AP…Selected 2nd-team All-America by the AFCA, The Sporting News and Walter Camp and 3rd team by the AP…Named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive back…Finished 10th in the SEC in tackles with a team and career-high 95 tackles (59 solo), including 5.5 for loss, 3.0 sacks and a conference-high 4 forced fumbles…Added 3 interceptions, including 1 he returned 81 yards for a touchdown, 5 pass breakups and 5 quarterback hurries…Selected as one of the Alabama coaching staff's defensive players of the week 8 times…Led the Crimson Tide defense with 8 tackles vs. Duke…Tied for the team lead with 6 stops and forced 1 fumble vs. New Mexico State…Tallied a team-high 9 tackles and intercepted his first pass of the season vs. South Carolina…Contributed a career-high 13 tackles vs. Ole Miss…Recorded 6 tackles vs. both Texas A&M (adding a fumble recovery) and Tennessee…Tied his career best with a team-leading 13 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, 2.0 sacks and 1 forced fumble vs. eventual national champion LSU…Forced 3 turnovers on a forced fumble and a career-high 2 interceptions, including 1 he returned for an 81-yard touchdown, and made 3 tackles vs. Western Carolina…Tied for the team lead with 8 tackles and forced 1 fumble vs. Auburn…In his career finale, made 10 tackles, including 1 sack, to tie for the team lead vs. Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.

2018:

• As a sophomore in 2018, started all 15 games and ranked 3rd on the team with 73 tackles (44 solo), including 6 stops for loss, 3.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, (1 a pick-6), 10 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble…Named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the Orange Bowl…Selected by the coaching staff as 1 of Alabama's defensive players of the week vs. Tennessee and LSU…Made his first career start and collected 3 tackles vs. Louisville…Intercepted his first career pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown and added 2 tackles at Ole Miss…Registered 7 tackles, including a 10-yard sack, vs. Texas A&M…Picked off his 2nd pass of the year to go with 3 tackles, including a half-sack, vs. Louisiana…Collected 6 tackles, including one for a loss, vs. Arkansas…Had 5 stops, including 1.5 for loss, 1.0 sack and his first career forced fumble vs Tennessee…Recorded 4 tackles and 1 pass breakup vs. LSU…Registered 6 tackles with half a stop for loss vs. Auburn…Earned Defensive MVP honors vs. Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, when he had 5 tackles and a career-high 4 pass breakups…Led the Tide with 7 tackles in the National Championship Game vs. Clemson.

2017:

• Played in 13 of 14 games, primarily on special teams, as a freshman…Totaled 8 tackles (5 solo), including 1.5 for loss…Made his collegiate debut on special teams vs. Florida State…Played in the secondary for the first time and had 2 tackles vs. Fresno State…Tallied 2 tackles for the 2nd straight game vs. Colorado State…Played on special teams and had 1 defensive tackle vs. Ole Miss…Made 1 tackle on kickoff coverage, his first special teams stop of the season, vs. Mississippi State…Matched his season high with 2 tackles vs. Mercer…Played on special teams in the National Championship Game vs. Georgia.

OFF-THE-FIELD ACTIVITY:

• During the coronavirus pandemic, participated in a Call of Duty charity tournament to raise funds for medical supplies…Invited Brick Township (N.J.) High School football team to a Zoom call to speak with the student-athletes and donated a $2,500 equipment grant.

PERSONAL:

• McKinney was a 4-year letterman at Roswell (Ga.) High School, playing everywhere in the secondary as well as wide receiver…Unanimous 4-star prospect who was named a top-10 safety nationally by all major recruiting outlets...Participated in the Under Armour All-America Game and Nike's 2016 "The Opening."…As a senior in 2016, was selected as the Georgia Class 7A Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution...Recorded 82 tackles, 7 interceptions, 9 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and 2 recoveries as a senior in 2016…In his junior season, had 111 tackles, including 4 for a loss and 2 sacks, 13 pass breakups and 9 interceptions, 2 of which were returned for touchdowns…Also played basketball at Roswell.