Benardrick McKinney paced before his first NFL game, his feet in constant motion as a raw, talented rookie linebacker.

McKinney was determined to make an impact while dealing with nerves that were transforming routine sequences into big moments. His coaches were worried he was going to run out of gas if he didn't calm down and harness his emotions.

"I remember his first game - he'll probably tell you this, too - he was hyperventilating on his first drive," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "I think he's come a long way since then."

Three years later, McKinney, 24, has emerged as a force in the middle of the NFL's top-ranked defense.

A hard-hitting anchor of an inside linebacker, McKinney has rare speed and size and a nasty disposition on the field that contrasts with his laid-back personality away from football.

Fast enough to catch running backs in the open field, McKinney doubles as a blitzing presence capable of shifting to outside linebacker as a pass rusher.

Few linebackers in the NFL are built like McKinney, or as athletic. At 6-4, 260 pounds, McKinney has run the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds and registered a 401/2-inch vertical leap.

Breakthrough season

He seems to get quicker and more adept at his responsibilities each season since the Texans drafted him in the second round out of Mississippi State. His increased comfort level was obvious last season.

"I had a lot of fun last season," McKinney said. "I wasn't as uptight as my rookie season."

On a defense headlined by Pro Bowl defensive ends J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, McKinney tends to fly under the radar as far as accolades. That hasn't diminished his respect in NFL circles where McKinney is hailed as one of the top young defensive players in the game.

"I'd be very comfortable starting my defense with McKinney as my first pick," an AFC college scouting director said. "He's an absolute stud. He's so big and strong, but, at the same time, he runs so well. If you could redo the draft, he'd be a first-rounder, easily.

"The Texans really hit on this guy. He's special."

McKinney became the Texans' leading tackler last season, recording a career-high 129 tackles. He earned the distinction of being the only NFL player to finish with at least 100 tackles and five sacks last season.

McKinney led the Texans with a career-high 129 tackles. He was the only NFL player to record at least 100 tackles and five sacks.

Although he was named second-team All-Pro, Pro Bowl recognition eluded McKinney during his second NFL season.

"I think he's a great player," Watt said. "I think he's very underrated. I think B-Mac, he's a guy who in our locker room we fully understand and appreciate everything that he does for our team, and I think that you're only going to see him continue to get better.

"He's a very smart player, but he's also extremely physical."

A triple threat on field

What separates McKinney from the pack of gifted NFL linebackers? Versatility, productivity and durability.

"I think he can do so many different things," Watt said. "He can come downhill and really hit you in the mouth, but he also is very cerebral and he can play the game with his mind. He can also go out and cover guys so he does so many different things, but he does them all well and I think he's obviously been very, very good for us."

A native of Tunica, Miss., McKinney has maintained a low-key approach to football. He doesn't make proclamations, or set lofty public goals. There's no trash-talking from McKinney.

Taking his cue from defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel, his position coach for his first two NFL seasons before he was promoted this year, McKinney is intent on self-improvement.

"This year, I just want to focus on being a better leader, being more vocal," McKinney said. "Coach Vrabel and all the coaches put the players in the right position to make plays. All I had to do was make tackles when they put me in a spot to make a play.

"I've been doing a leadership role since I was a young. My dad always enforced that on me to be a leader. I just want to be a vocal leader on the defense."

McKinney has matured to the point where even accomplished veteran players like Watt confer with him about what's the next strategic move on defense.

"He's very important," Watt said. "You need to have a couple of guys in the middle there, obviously, that know what they're doing. Linebacker is one of the toughest jobs on the defense because they have to get us up front all coordinated. They got to get the guys behind them coordinated.

"Just out at practice you talk to Benardrick, and I couldn't do his job because I'm so damn tired in between plays. I can't talk and tell everybody else what to do so I say thank you for telling us what to do, man.

"He's got a much harder job than me so I appreciate Benardrick taking that lead."

Franchise milestone

McKinney became just the second Texans player in franchise history last season to have 100 tackles and five sacks in a single season, joining former linebacker Jamie Sharper.

He had a career-high 16 tackles during a 27-0 loss to the New England Patriots. He finished with the eighth-most tackles in franchise history last season.

"Bernardrick's getting better and better every year," O'Brien said. "He's a guy who I have a lot of respect for. He came in here and learned the game pretty quickly. I thought he had a Pro Bowl-type of year last year.

"Last year's over, but I think the guy is poised to have a really good career here. A lot of it is going to have to do with health, but I think as long as he stays healthy he's a hell of a football player."

A former consensus All-American in college, McKinney was overlooked by most college recruiters despite playing quarterback, linebacker and punter at Rosa Fort High School. He had 2,036 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior. He was the center on the basketball team.

Mississippi State was the only Division I program to offer McKinney a scholarship. The other offers were from junior colleges.

"That was a long time ago, but I never forget anything," McKinney said. "Stuff like that always motivates you and makes you keep working hard."

McKinney became the program's first All-America linebacker since 1999. He finished his career with 244 tackles, including 19½ for losses, with 7½ sacks and six fumble recoveries.

Team makes its (draft) move

The Texans were enamored enough of McKinney's potential that they traded up to the Cleveland Browns' spot at No. 43 to acquire him, exchanging second-round picks and also sending fourth-round and sixth-round picks to Cleveland and netting a seventh-rounder.

They utilize him in several ways to make it difficult for blockers to get a bead on him.

"It was kind of fun," McKinney said. "It was kind of different keeping the offense on their toes, moving everybody around so they didn't know where we were coming from. We did a lot of disguise and the coaches put me in different spots just to try to mix it up.

Signed to a four-year, $5.345 million contract that includes $3.26 million guaranteed and a $2.147 million signing bonus, McKinney is working hard at honing his techniques in pass coverage.

As a bigger linebacker, it's difficult for him to shadow smaller, quicker running backs. He holds his own, though. The roughest game he had in coverage last season was during a loss to the Oakland Raiders in Mexico City as their backs were productive swinging out of the backfield.

"It's kind of tough checking small backs," McKinney said. "I'm just continuing to gain confidence and get better with the defense and used to the game. I try to work on my craft every day in coverage and blitzing and playing football."