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RB Jerick McKinnon, KC (1 Viewer)

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MVP
Rookie RB McKinnon impresses Adrian Peterson

Posted by: Master Tesfatsion

When asked who has been the most impressive player so far, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson first bunched in all the quarterbacks, then he singled out someone that really caught his eye – rookie running back Jerick McKinnon.

“He’s pretty impressive and there’s not too many guys who impress me like that, especially rookies coming in,” Peterson said. “He’s been able to do some real good things in the offense, picking it up well and just his running style.”

That shifty running style McKinnon credits to some of the college running backs he watched growing up, like Florida State’s Peter Warrick and Southern California’s Reggie Bush.

“As a youngin’, you pick up on it and try to be like that and do some of their moves,” McKinnon said.

Like Bush during his NFL career, McKinnon will be asked to do a little of everything on offense and special teams. His versatility was one of the reason the Vikings selected him in the third round as someone to complement Peterson and Matt Asiata. McKinnon was a quarterback, running back and kick returner at Georgia Southern.

McKinnon recorded just 10 career receptions in college, however. That was hard to believe given how natural he looked over the last two months using his hands. While McKinnon was a quarterback at Sprayberry High in Marietta, Ga., he also played wide receiver. He was named wide receiver MVP of the National Underclassmen Ultimate 100 in high school, one of the many combine workouts for high school players to gain exposure.

“Being in the situation that I was in college, you really didn’t get to see a lot of it,” McKinnon said. “But I feel real comfortable with it. Coach [Norv] Turner is asking a lot from me to do different things. Whatever I can do to contribute to the team, I’m willing to do it.”

McKinnon has leaned on Turner and Peterson to help learn the offense and adapt to the NFL. McKinnon said he’s always observing Peterson and asking for advice during practice.

“When you’re learning from the best in the game, you really just got to take on everything and everything he says you got to listen to,” McKinnon said. “I just got to feed off him and all it to my game.”
 
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Rotoworld:

Third-round pick Jerick McKinnon has been sprinkled in with the Vikings' first-team offense at OTAs when Adrian Peterson takes days off.

Matt Asiata is the primary backup, but McKinnon is pushing. Per beat writer Matt Vensel, McKinnon "has looked pretty natural as a receiver," and is "hard to ignore" when he's on the field. To overtake Asiata, converted college QB McKinnon must master pass protection. He runs a 4.41 forty at 209 pounds.

Jun 5 - 10:04 PM

Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Vikings GM Rick Spielman reiterated on NFL Insiders that he envisions third-round pick Jerick McKinnon as a "third-down type back."

Spielman added he believes McKinnon has "a lot of unique traits," likely stemming from his otherworldly measurables. Spielman did not specifically say the Vikings envision McKinnon as Adrian Peterson's heir apparent, but the Georgia Southern product does have size and speed to eventually become a feature-caliber NFL running back. Spielman said he sees Peterson, Matt Asiata, and McKinnon as the Vikings' top-three tailback options entering 2014.

May 20 - 3:58 PM


ESPN's Mel Kiper writes that Georgia Southern's Jerick McKinnon "is a major sleeper at running back."

"A compact but powerful 5-9, 209, he ran the second-fastest 40 among all RBs at the combine at 4.41 -- behind only the diminutive Dri Archer -- but also had six more reps at 225 pounds than any other RB (32 total), and showed off a 40.5-inch vertical," Kiper wrote. The former quarterback switched positions as a senior and is still raw as an RB. On the positive side, he hasn't taken as much damage as some of his contemporaries. Kiper's ESPN colleague Todd McShay has called McKinnon the draft's most intriguing RB sleeper.

May 3 - 12:18 AM
Source: ESPN Insider
CBS Sports' Pat Kirwan, a former NFL executive, said he'd draft Georgia Southern's Jerick McKinnon as a CB.

"I would draft him and put him at corner for a team that plays a lot of press man coverage," Kirwan wrote. "The kid benched 225 pounds 32 times, ran 4.35, and had a 40 1/2-inch vertical -- all better numbers than any corner in the draft. McKinnon can run, flip his hips and is explosive. McKinnon admitted two clubs were coming in to work him out as corner. Believe me that's a good idea." ESPN's Todd McShay has called McKinnon, a former triple-option QB, the draft's most intriguing RB sleeper, while his colleague Mel Kiper thinks McKinnon would be a steal beyond the third-round.

Apr 10 - 8:35 PM
Source: CBS Sports
ESPN's Todd McShay identifies Georgia Southern RB Jerick McKinnon as a sleeper at the position.
The former quarterback switched positions as a senior and is still raw as an RB. On the positive side, he hasn't taken as much damage as some of his contemporaries. "He is intriguing because of his raw talent and explosiveness," McShay wrote. "He is shifty, can accelerate out of cuts, make defenders miss in space and go the distance if he gets a seam. He ranked at or near the top of nearly every drill among running backs at the combine. He'd be a great find in the sixth or seventh round." McKinnon posted an official 4.41 forty time, and logged unofficial times of 4.35 and 4.38, at the NFL Combine. His 10-yard split of 1.46 seconds tied Kent State's Dri Archer for the best time amongst RBs.

Source: ESPN Insider
 
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Rookie RB Jerick McKinnon Looks to be the Real DealJuly 2, 2014, by Lindsey Young

When the Vikings drafted running back Jerick McKinnon in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft, they knew he held a lot of potential. And he’s living up to their expectations.

McKinnon is already gaining a lot of recognition, including most recently from star RB Adrian Peterson. When Mr. All Day himself calls you out as a solid player, that has to feel good.

According to the Star Tribune‘s Master Tesfatsion, Peterson named Georgia Southern alum as one of the guys impressing him the most this offseason.

“[McKinnon]’s pretty impressive and there’s not too many guys who impress me like that, especially rookies coming in,” Peterson said. “He’s been able to do some real good things in the offense, picking it up well and just his running style.”

You can bet McKinnon does not take this caliber of praise lightly. “When you’re learning from the best in the game, you really just got to take on everything and everything he says you got to listen to,” McKinnon said. “I just got to feed off him and all it to my game.”

Minnesota targeted the rookie in the draft for his versatility and impressive speed, GM Rick Spielman calling him “too good of an athlete to pass up.” McKinnon put up impressive numbers in college, tallying 3,899 yards on just 619 carries and scoring 42 touchdowns on the ground. At the combine, he recorded a 4.41 40-yard dash. On the down side, McKinnon’s blocking skills have been criticized by analysts, and there is certainly room for improvement in that area. His extreme athleticism, though, cannot be ignored. Hopefully, the rookie will continue to develop into a well-rounded player under the mentorship of Peterson.

During the Vikings mini camp, running backs coach Kirby Wilson said the following of McKinnon:

What jumps out to me about him is he’s a quick learner. He retains the information and then he’s able to come out and execute it out on the field. So that’s impressive for a young guy [...] He stood out to me as a guy who’s very quick, had a nice burst into the line of scrimmage, had a very good acceleration in and out of his cuts. I thought he had a very good vision and instincts and change of direction, all of the things that indicate he could possibly be a good football player at this level.
McKinnon clearly has a vote of confidence from Peterson and his coaches. Criticized for drafting the RB as early as they did, the Vikings want to prove they knew exactly what they were getting. And with only 22 days until full training camp and five weeks until the first preseason game, McKinnon is ready to show us what kind of impact he will have on the field.
 
Not so much hype on this guy, surprisingly. I think he has some raw talent and could very easily end up the best running back from this class.

 
He's incredibly athletic but he's learning a new position in the NFL. It's going to be a tough road for him.

 
cloppbeast said:
Not so much hype on this guy, surprisingly. I think he has some raw talent and could very easily end up the best running back from this class.
Completely agree. It's been real quiet when it comes to him; and all RB prospects seem like a crapshoot this year. He seems about as likely as anyone to make some waves.

 
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I think he's getting a bit of the Bernard Pierce treatment. AKA get drafted behind a top starter and people kinda forget about you. Very interesting guy though because of his combine numbers and high-ish draft slot. A bit of a mystery because of his college background (small school, gimmicky offense, spent some time as a running QB). I think there's a bit of a tweener/athlete vibe to him (talk of him as a possible CB prospect reflects that), but he certainly offers good upside at his ADP. He falls absurdly low in rookie drafts and startups. Why not take a punt?

 
If he can pick up pass protection he should be able to overtake Asiata pretty easily no? And AP has to have his workload dropped a little bit eventually right? Good find can't believe it took this long tbh

And I'm not sure that being a triple option QB isn't an advantage. There is a ton of defense reading required to run it.

I'm curious why he ended up at Georgia Southern though.

 
He's a great guy to target at his current ADP but I wouldn't draft him much before that........

 
Here comes my little hype piece.

I've happily seen him go unnoticed and picked him up in most of my drafts. The highest I drafted him was at 2.12 in a 16-team IDP league, and the lowest was at 5.02 (12 team IDP). I find it puzzling that he has been falling so far considering his insane combine numbers and his relatively high draft position being the 7th running back drafted. Owners are routinely picking guys like Storm Johnson (7th), Crowell (UDFA) and Lache Seastrunk (6th) ahead of him, and even IDPs like Pryor, Ha-Ha and Aaron Donald have a higher ADP than McKinnon. The only site I've seen that have been really high on him is Fake Football that have him as the 2nd best RB in this year's rookie draft.

McKinnon is of course a project considering the way he was utilized at Georgia Southern, having played QB, slotback, fullback, cornerback and kick returner, as well as wide receiver in high school...but his ceiling seems sky high and you could argue that it will be easier for him being a pure RB with some yards to build up speed rather than a running threat from the QB position. There are of course question marks in terms of pass protection, running between the tackles and adjusting to the pro level, but he seems to be a good learner having played all those different positions, and for a raw guy to be able to learn the game playing behind Adrian Peterson must be more or less the perfect place for him. As an investment in dynasty he is a slam dunk for me. I think even if he doesn't play a single down this season he should be getting the Christine Michael-treatment next offseason when writers are looking for sleepers and start focusing on his combine numbers and questioning when Peterson will start to slow down. And if he flashes in a game or two this season...oh boy. :moneybag: :moneybag: :moneybag:

Check him out around the 3:40 mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9M87YZeTQU

 
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Expect the hype will spike after people see him in camp/preseason. Would have liked him a lot as an early 2nd round rookie pick -- love him as a third rounder.

 
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My initial reaction to the Vikings drafting Barr and McKinnon was that they were drafting the best athletes, but players who may need more coaching/training before they reach their full potential. I think that shows the confidence the coaching staff has in their ability to coach these players and also the front offices confidence in them being able to do so.

Now that I have learned a bit more about Barr and McKinnon. I am not thinking of them so much as raw developmental players, but just good football players who can do a lot of different things to help a football team.

The main obstacle I see for McKinnon in terms of his value in FF is Adrian Peterson. If Peterson does play for the Vikings the next 3-4 seasons, then you are looking at a scenario similar to Gerhart. Where the player may be valuable on their second contract, but the best years of career are limited due to playing behind a future hall of fame player.

I have him ranked 30th overall of the 2014 rookie prospects. 2 spots after West. I do like McKinnon more than West from a talent perspective, but West has better opportunity to become the feature RB in their offense in the short term. I had McKinnon ranked 38th prior to the draft just after Dri Archer. I knew less about him at that time though I did watch a couple of his games I found. I had him ranked that high mostly on the measurables.

ETA- Scott Studwell left the Vikings scouting department after the draft. I heard a couple interviews with him around draft time where he said he felt pretty burned out. Perhaps the extra weeks were wearing on him.

 
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Expect the hype will spike after people see him in camp/preseason. Would have liked him a lot as an early 2nd round rookie pick -- love him as a third rounder.
Completely agree. When I was drafting I couldn't find a lot of info about him on fantasy sites, but a lot of articles/coaches statements from OTAs that made it feel like he is going to address the issues with not being a running back many years,

Love the talent here and I think Norv is going to find ways to get him some touches this year if he gets pass pro down.

 
If things go well for him, I don't think Peterson/Gerhardt is the model here... I think it's Fred Taylor/MJD.

McKinnon gets some return duties, third down work and spells Peterson in big wins/losses, gradually moves into the junior role in a time share, and takes over when ADP is done.

 
He's incredibly athletic but he's learning a new position in the NFL. It's going to be a tough road for him.
yep, any hype will probably fade once the games start, just like Denard Robinson last year. Next offseason will be his make or break. Staying patient with him til then.
 
This is why I hate having our rookie draft after preseason game #3... Too much time for these "sleepers" to show enough for somebody to snake them earlier then I'm expecting

 
the RBs really fell in my idp dynasty this year, and i was able to grab this guy pretty late.

glad to hear some positive buzz on him this early.

 
This is why I hate having our rookie draft after preseason game #3... Too much time for these "sleepers" to show enough for somebody to snake them earlier then I'm expecting
yeah my leagues all draft at different times. much prefer the one that does the draft soon after the NFL draft.

 
He's incredibly athletic but he's learning a new position in the NFL. It's going to be a tough road for him.
yep, any hype will probably fade once the games start, just like Denard Robinson last year. Next offseason will be his make or break. Staying patient with him til then.
McKinnon is 10 pounds heavier, significantly thicker, miles more athletic, and was drafted 40 picks earlier despite coming from a small school. Obviously no one knows anything here and we're all guessing, but I wouldn't be surprised if he shows better straight out of the gate than Robinson did.

 
He's incredibly athletic but he's learning a new position in the NFL. It's going to be a tough road for him.
yep, any hype will probably fade once the games start, just like Denard Robinson last year. Next offseason will be his make or break. Staying patient with him til then.
I would say that they have completely different body types so I don't see the comparison apart from the QB thing. Denard Robinson is taller and skinnier and I've never been sold on him as an RB. Mckinnon is about two inches shorter and 10-15 pounds heavier.

 
He's incredibly athletic but he's learning a new position in the NFL. It's going to be a tough road for him.
yep, any hype will probably fade once the games start, just like Denard Robinson last year. Next offseason will be his make or break. Staying patient with him til then.
I would say that they have completely different body types so I don't see the comparison apart from the QB thing. Denard Robinson is taller and skinnier and I've never been sold on him as an RB. Mckinnon is about two inches shorter and 10-15 pounds heavier.
even the easiest position to learn in the nfl takes time to learn
 
He's incredibly athletic but he's learning a new position in the NFL. It's going to be a tough road for him.
yep, any hype will probably fade once the games start, just like Denard Robinson last year. Next offseason will be his make or break. Staying patient with him til then.
I would say that they have completely different body types so I don't see the comparison apart from the QB thing. Denard Robinson is taller and skinnier and I've never been sold on him as an RB. Mckinnon is about two inches shorter and 10-15 pounds heavier.
even the easiest position to learn in the nfl takes time to learn
Of course, but I don't think Denard Robinson is the benchmark.

 
If things go well for him, I don't think Peterson/Gerhardt is the model here... I think it's Fred Taylor/MJD.

McKinnon gets some return duties, third down work and spells Peterson in big wins/losses, gradually moves into the junior role in a time share, and takes over when ADP is done.
I wish I could agree, but Peterson >> Fred Taylor. And the Jaguars took MJD in the second.

Though, It depends on what you mean by 'junior role', and when you think it could happen. Best case scenario, outside something catastrophic, McKinnon earns some playing time in 2015 and gets some Chargers version Michael Turner stats.

 
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If things go well for him, I don't think Peterson/Gerhardt is the model here... I think it's Fred Taylor/MJD.

McKinnon gets some return duties, third down work and spells Peterson in big wins/losses, gradually moves into the junior role in a time share, and takes over when ADP is done.
I wish I could agree, but Peterson >> Fred Taylor. And the Jaguars took MJD in the first.

Though, It depends on what you mean by 'junior role', and when you think it could happen. Best case scenario, outside something catastrophic, McKinnon earns some playing time in 2015 and gets some Chargers version Michael Turner stats.
Mjd was a late two.
 
If things go well for him, I don't think Peterson/Gerhardt is the model here... I think it's Fred Taylor/MJD.

McKinnon gets some return duties, third down work and spells Peterson in big wins/losses, gradually moves into the junior role in a time share, and takes over when ADP is done.
I wish I could agree, but Peterson >> Fred Taylor. And the Jaguars took MJD in the first.

Though, It depends on what you mean by 'junior role', and when you think it could happen. Best case scenario, outside something catastrophic, McKinnon earns some playing time in 2015 and gets some Chargers version Michael Turner stats.
MJD was a borderline 2nd/3rd rounder. And he had a big school pedigree.

Agree the junior role definitely depends on ADP though -- if he's the same guy until 32 we're looking at a lesser role (though he could still excel in 3rd down duty) for the first contract.

 
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I draft McKinnon with the hopes he shows something in pre-season to build some hype, sort of like Christine Michael - in an effort to deal him, perhaps to the Peterson owner. I cannot foresee keeping him on my bench for the time required. Storage fees are too high.

 
This is about when LT started to hit his wall. Certainly possible this is when AD hits his. Most realistic best case is he starts to Chip away next year and shows enough to be the guy come 2016.

 
If things go well for him, I don't think Peterson/Gerhardt is the model here... I think it's Fred Taylor/MJD.

McKinnon gets some return duties, third down work and spells Peterson in big wins/losses, gradually moves into the junior role in a time share, and takes over when ADP is done.
I wish I could agree, but Peterson >> Fred Taylor. And the Jaguars took MJD in the second.

Though, It depends on what you mean by 'junior role', and when you think it could happen. Best case scenario, outside something catastrophic, McKinnon earns some playing time in 2015 and gets some Chargers version Michael Turner stats.
Some people forget how talented Taylor was... even with all the injuries, he ranks as 15th all time career yardage. But, clearly Peterson is healthier and has more tread on his tires at this point in his career than Taylor did when MJD was drafted.

Agree that, barring injury, McKinnon's upside is limited for at least two years. Also, with Patterson around to fill a Harvin role, it will be difficult for the rookie to carve out a role on offense.

 
This is about when LT started to hit his wall. Certainly possible this is when AD hits his. Most realistic best case is he starts to Chip away next year and shows enough to be the guy come 2016.
LT hit the wall when he tore his MCL against the Colts in the 2007 playoffs. He was never the same after that.

 
He was my #1 rookie target in dynasty leagues this year and I landed him in 12/13 $$ leagues. To get a prospect this good in the late 2nd or 3rd round of rookie drafts is a rare opportunity IMO.

Best comps are Tiki Barber (probably - missing some data) and Ray Rice (with better measurables). I expect him to fly up the rankings as people see what he looks like on an NFL field.

And, sure enough...

Jerick McKinnon astonished in these drills, and he looks every bit the physical phenom the Vikings drafted. Not only is he fluid in everything he does, it comes naturally and without the problem of reducing his speed. His burst and speed were obvious on the field, too, and occasionally he looked like he was playing a different game than others because of it.
Draft him if you can. At current prices it doesn't even matter much if he misses.

 
I like this kid too but keep in mind he's likely two years or more away from seeing significant playing time......

 
I like this kid too but keep in mind he's likely two years or more away from seeing significant playing time......
That can change in one play. If you look at what happened with Michael over the last 12 months, I'd suggest that it doesn't even matter.

McKinnon is an automatic buy at his market price. Criminally cheap considering his draft slot and workout numbers.

Will he pan out? There's a tweener element to his game and physique, but I agree that at his market price you're not giving up anything of note to get him.

 
EBF said:
I like this kid too but keep in mind he's likely two years or more away from seeing significant playing time......
That can change in one play. If you look at what happened with Michael over the last 12 months, I'd suggest that it doesn't even matter.

McKinnon is an automatic buy at his market price. Criminally cheap considering his draft slot and workout numbers.

Will he pan out? There's a tweener element to his game and physique, but I agree that at his market price you're not giving up anything of note to get him.
:yes: get him while you can. Although I like Denard Robinson, the comparisons to him seem to be underestimating McKinnon.

 
I drafted him purely as a cuff for ADP.

Now that fanboys like EBF and wdcrob are on board, I hope to flip him for something of value soon, keep the hype train rolling boys

 
I drafted him purely as a cuff for ADP.

Now that fanboys like EBF and wdcrob are on board, I hope to flip him for something of value soon, keep the hype train rolling boys
So do you base value of message board hype or do some in your league? I do not think you could get much for him unless you were trading him to a Peterson owner anyways.

I like this kid too but keep in mind he's likely two years or more away from seeing significant playing time......
:goodposting:

 
I drafted him purely as a cuff for ADP.

Now that fanboys like EBF and wdcrob are on board, I hope to flip him for something of value soon, keep the hype train rolling boys
So do you base value of message board hype or do some in your league? I do not think you could get much for him unless you were trading him to a Peterson owner anyways.

I like this kid too but keep in mind he's likely two years or more away from seeing significant playing time......
:goodposting:
any hype on a player you own in dyno is good. shrug. I see you in here defending/hyping dudes you own lynch,mason etc.......

 
McKinnon is an automatic buy at his market price. Criminally cheap considering his draft slot and workout numbers.
I agree he has talent, but he's only a strong buy if you don't factor the cost of storage. You don't win in fantasy football occupying your bench with players who don't play. As a 3rd/4th round rookie pick, McKinnon has the value of a waiver move. Since I wouldn't bank on a ridiculous Christine Michael type of value transformation, he likely won't remain on many fantasy squads by year end. I personally would only have the patience to keep him on my roster as a hand-cuff to Peterson.

 
McKinnon is an automatic buy at his market price. Criminally cheap considering his draft slot and workout numbers.
I agree he has talent, but he's only a strong buy if you don't factor the cost of storage. You don't win in fantasy football occupying your bench with players who don't play. As a 3rd/4th round rookie pick, McKinnon has the value of a waiver move. Since I wouldn't bank on a ridiculous Christine Michael type of value transformation, he likely won't remain on many fantasy squads by year end. I personally would only have the patience to keep him on my roster as a hand-cuff to Peterson.
12 team leagues, sure.

Larger? He's a worthwhile target.

 
McKinnon is an automatic buy at his market price. Criminally cheap considering his draft slot and workout numbers.
I agree he has talent, but he's only a strong buy if you don't factor the cost of storage. You don't win in fantasy football occupying your bench with players who don't play. As a 3rd/4th round rookie pick, McKinnon has the value of a waiver move. Since I wouldn't bank on a ridiculous Christine Michael type of value transformation, he likely won't remain on many fantasy squads by year end. I personally would only have the patience to keep him on my roster as a hand-cuff to Peterson.
Not exactly counting on a lot of production from 3rd/4th rookie picks so I'll take the guys with upside.

 

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