Kenny McKinley: Denver Broncos Receiver Passes Away

He will be remembered as an electric talent on the field.

Kenny McKinley was one of Josh McDaniels' first selections to begin building the Denver Broncos franchise the way he wanted it to be, having been selected in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft. The second-year pro out of South Carolina was a well respected teammate for his work ethic.

He played with and earned praise from some of the game's best, be it Sidney Rice while at South Carolina or Brandon Marshall while in Denver last season. His personality really separated him from the pack, as he was widely considered an upstanding young man.

His college coach, Steve Spurrier, highly respected for his own contributions to the game, called McKinley the best receiver he ever coached.

While the circumstances surrounding his death are still something of a mystery, and suicide was first reported by the Denver broadcast media, the facts surrounding his untimely demise are anything but clear at this time. What is clear is that the city of Denver and the Broncos organization have lost a special person.

The organization has faced a lot of tragedy in the past four years, going back to cornerback Darrent Williams, who was killed with teammates by his side in a drive-by shooting incident.

Shortly after that, running back Damien Nash collapsed following a charity event. With as precious as the team is the the state of Colorado, fans are forced to mourn yet again.

Funeral arrangements have obviously yet to be made, but the team released a statement expressing sorrow following news of McKinley's death.

Check back for more information on the public services that are almost certain to be held.