Benardrick McKinney to Houston Texans: Full Draft Pick Breakdown

Who knew Rick Smith was such a great negotiator?

Criticised for drafting a cornerback in the first round yesterday, the Texans' general manager stuck with his gut and drafted another defender on Friday night—this time, an inside linebacker.

The pick, Benardrick McKinney out of Mississippi State, was involved in a big-time trade from the Texans. Smith offered the Texans' No. 51 selection to the Cleveland Browns, who also wound up with a fourth- and a sixth-round pick to go with it.

It might seem like a lot to give up, but what the Texans gain in return could turn out to be pretty special. McKinney has been highly regarded as a second-round pick for a long time, and since he was always likely to fall early, the Texans did a great job of moving up.

So now that the Texans have their replacement for Brian Cushing, what can we expect to see?

In Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 defense, McKinney should stay as an inside linebacker. He could line up as a defensive end, but with such a strong downhill game, the Texans are going to want him rushing from the edge.

When the ball is in play, McKinney will get right inside offensive linemen and disrupt the pocket. His hands could use some work, so he might not be a huge sack monster, but McKinney is the kind of player whose presence can cause rushed throws and a few fumbles.

At Mississippi State, McKinney did all of that. He finished with only 7.5 sacks during his three-year career, but McKinney led the team in tackles with 34 last season.

In the Texans defense, McKinney might struggle for playing time, at least in his rookie year. He’s surrounded by two of the most prolific defenders in the league in Cushing and J.J. Watt, but that doesn’t mean McKinney can’t make a name for himself on special teams early.

With such a physical 246-pound frame, McKinney is going to make some pretty big hits. Mike Mayock describes McKinney as a “downhill thumper,” and since the special teams have been labeled a little soft recently, some aggressiveness is welcome.

During his time in college, McKinney was one of the defensive leaders at Mississippi State, so he does have a future on the Texans defense should he find playing time. His quickness will be tested straight away in practices, though, and although McKinney looks the part of a run-stopper, he could find himself out of place defending the pass at the speed of NFL play.

These two trades made by Rick Smith were definitely positive. McKinney’s upside far outweighs any of the negatives, and at the very least, the Texans have found a backup who can fill in should injuries occur.

What will be interesting to see is whether or not McKinney can adjust to the speed of the pass rush in the NFL. It’s one thing to be a great tackler at the college level, but if McKinney comes in and struggles to help Watt defend the pass, the entire point of drafting an inside linebacker might be missed.

Still, this is a worthy A-grade pick. And kudos to Smith for making the trade.