Nov 3, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley (98) and linebacker Jayon Brown (12) tackle the scramble of Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Sefo Liufau (13) in the first half at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons: Takkarist McKinley, How to Feel the Morning After by Randy Gurzi

The Atlanta Falcons trade up to the 26th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft to select Takkarist McKinley, DE from UCLA.

It was the consensus of many fans and sports analysts that the Atlanta Falcons needed to improve the pass rush. To address this need, the Falcons added Takkarist McKinley, Defensive End out of the University of California – Los Angeles.



Takkarist McKinley has NFL size, standing at 6’2″ and weighing in at 250 pounds. He also has amazing athleticism, notching an impressive 4.59 second 40 yard dash. This, combined with his long arms, made for a difficult matchup for opposing offensive tackles.

McKinley tallied 50 total tackles, 10 sacks, and three forced fumbles in his senior season at UCLA in 2016, putting up impressive numbers to back up his athletic potential.

Further, McKinley earned the reputation of an extremely hard worker at UCLA, with NFL.com describing him as:

[A] relentless worker bee on the field. Refuses to give offensive tackles a snap to catch their breath. Not a content player and is always charging towards the ball.

For an intangible trait, McKinley is also known to be an intimidating trash talker. This could mean big things for the Falcons, as big and mean defensive ends can make opposing offenses lose their confidence and let the defense have their way.

Overall, Takkarist McKinley is a strong defensive end that has the potential to be a force on the defensive line for the Falcons. He is relatively unpolished, but his athleticism and work ethic make for a bright future.

To move up from the 31st overall pick to the 26th overall pick, the Falcons traded their 1st round pick (31), 3rd round pick (95), and 7th round pick (249) to the Seattle Seahawks.

Many fans have already expressed their discontent with giving up the 3rd round pick to only move up five spots in the first round, but time will tell if this trade pays off.