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According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net, the Eagles will use one of their 30 pre-draft visits on Mississippi linebacker Benardrick McKinney. Pauline reports that McKinney will arrive in Philadelphia this week.
McKinney is a 22-year-old redshirt junior who measures in at 6-4, 245 pounds. He finished his college career with 243 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, eight passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
The Eagles are currently pretty deep at inside linebacker with young studs Mychal Kendricks and Kiko Alonso seemingly projected to be the starters. DeMeco Ryans is expected to stay in Philadelphia but it's unclear what his role will be. Najee Goode is returning from injury and Philadelphia signed veteran Brad Jones to compete for a backup linebacker spot as well.
Here's a scouting report on McKinney via CBS. They currently project him to be a second round pick.
STRENGTHS: Raw, versatile athlete. Lined up at middle linebacker and rushed off both edges. Runs in the 4.5s with a 34-inch vertical. At his best with the ballcarrier in front of him. Physical taking on blocks with long arms and physical punch. Fluid athlete for his size, showing good lateral agility and very impressive acceleration to track down ballcarriers from behind. Long arms and good hand-eye coordination to trip up ballcarriers.
At his best with the ballcarrier in front of him, where he can use his physical demeanor and battle the big bodies, taking on blocks with active hands and long arms to control the point of attack.
WEAKNESSES: Limited hand technique. Attempts to slip past blockers, rather than showing the aggression and strength to truly stack and shed. Not a sudden mover. Lacks ideal range. While intelligent, he can be late to recognize plays and ends up a step late to the action. Slow to recover from missteps. Loses sight of the quarterback to turn and run with receivers.
Compares To: Aaron Curry, retired: Like the No. 4 overall pick in 2009, McKinney possesses remarkable size, explosiveness and general athleticism. There are concerns about McKinney's awareness, especially in coverage. He's athletic enough to project to any linebacker role but may never become a star.