Rising 2018 CB Verone McKinley III Has 13 Offers and Counting

COPPELL, Texas — He's only 16 years old, but 2018 cornerback Verone McKinley III plays the game of football with an old soul.

There isn't a ton of braggadocio when the Carrollton, Texas, standout makes a play for Prestonwood Christian Academy. When he's not on the field honing his craft, he's under a roof somewhere looking at film. And while he enjoys spending time with friends, the idea of being ranked the nation's best cornerback in the 2018 class serves as motivation to wake up early and go to sleep late.

McKinley has used his physical training, mental preparation and overall play on the field to build a nice recruiting resume as only a sophomore. He is reporting 13 offers, with the first coming from LSU last May. Since then, he's received offers from Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Texas A&M. Most recently, the 5'10", 165-pound cornerback added Florida and Houston offers to his growing list.

"

Blessed to say I've received an offer from The Florida Gators!!#ChompChomp #DBU pic.twitter.com/66dPxcEpJG

— Verone McKinley III (@vmckinley3) March 18, 2016"

"

Blessed to receive an offer from The University of Houston!! #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/HH7geJIW1L

— Verone McKinley III (@vmckinley3) March 21, 2016"

"It's been a roller coaster," McKinley said. "The first [offer] came last spring, and it was a blessing. Since then, I've gotten a few more. The whole process has been a blessing, and I've been listening to others talk about their processes and just take it all in."

Technique and football IQ are two of McKinley's best assets. He is a shutdown cornerback with outstanding fundamentals and an incredible work ethic. Part of that comes from his father, Verone McKinley Jr., who was a defensive back for Texas Tech from 1992-95.

McKinley, who competed at The Opening Dallas regional last Sunday, also receives tutelage and training from Clay Mack, one of the respected names in training and skills development in and around Texas and Oklahoma. Mack, who played in the secondary at Mississippi State, described McKinley as "cerebral" and as someone who is a true student of the game.

"A lot of people see his skill set and quick-twitch movement as being next level," Mack said of McKinley, "but before [The Opening], he was up at 1, 2 o'clock just watching routes from previous camps. It's not just about camps this year; he's watching camps dating back to older guys in college.

"He's a real student of the game," Mack continued. "During a water break [at The Opening], I saw him looking at the receivers and studying how some of them were running routes. The routes they were doing in drills are probably the way they do them in one-on-ones, and he recognizes that."

Mack said he treats McKinley on the field "as someone going to the NFL combine" and less like a high school sophomore, but it's McKinley who said he values the approach and uses it as a challenge to get better each day. Mack said McKinley is a meticulous athlete who takes a lot of pride in doing things properly to become an elite cornerback.

All his life, McKinley has worked with athletes who are older than he is. He's trained with athletes such as LSU defensive backs Jamal Adams and Ed Paris, Texas defensive back Jason Hall and Jeffrey Okudah, the nation's top-ranked safety in the 2017 class.

The work is all done to make sure the receiver lined up opposite him has a not-so-friendly experience. He finished last season with 38 tackles, 14 pass deflections and four interceptions, per MaxPreps.com.

"My work has not stopped," he said, "and it's going to keep going."

McKinley was in attendance for Baylor's "Friday Night Lights" event Friday evening. He's also looking to take in a visit to TCU in April. McKinley added that schools like Ohio State, USC, UCLA and Arizona State intrigue him.

"I'm just looking for a place I can call home and where I can come back and say, 'That's my alma mater,'" McKinley said. "I want to feel good that I went to the school. I want a place that sets me up for success outside of football, where after football, I can get a good job."

Mack added, "As he continues to do more and more, he's creating a resume for himself, and he's maturing. He's not afraid of the challenges; he just accepts them."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles