"Too good of an athlete to pass up, just too explosive of a player,” those were the words general manager Rick Spielman used as he gave his justification for spending his second third-round pick (which he acquired from the Seattle Seahwaks in the Percy Harvin trade) on another explosive playmaker in the 2014 draft. His justification was needed after adding another running back in the first three rounds of the draft for the second time in four years, while the league's best tailback in Adrian Peterson sits atop the team's roster.
From a talent and potential perspective, McKinnon was worthy of the 96th selection overall, after he crushed the combine with video game numbers. The 5’9” tailback weighed in at a solid 209 pounds and ran the second-fastest 40 time of any running back behind Pittsburgh Steeler Dri Archer, who ran a 4.26. McKinnon then preceded to put up a positional best in five other categories that included 32-bench reps, 40.5 inch vertical, 132 inch broad jump, 6.83 three-cone drill, and 4.12 20-yard shuttle. So dubbing him a “gym rat” seems fitting don’t you think?
On top of his workout numbers, McKinnon caught the eye of Vikings scouts because of his versatility in college, as he lined up as a quarterback, running back, slot receiver, and cornerback, proving he was just too talented to keep off the field. The Vikings will use him as Peterson’s primary backup at the running back position though, in hopes of saving some tread on the 29 year olds tires, while keeping a home-run threat on the field for Norv Turner and the offense.
Turner admitted after the draft he had drawn up five plays by the end of the night, solely for McKinnon. And was excited to incorporate him into the offensive game plan. So far during mini-camp, McKinnon is going through his share of rookie growing pains, but for the most part has impressed the coaching staff with his ability to retain information in the class room and apply it to the field, an encouraging sign for the organization and his development.
We know McKinnon has the speed and ability to have a big impact as a third-down back under Turner, who has a reputation of turning explosive scat backs like Darren Sproles into highly productive players. Aside from beating out Matt Asiata as the primary back up and continuing to learn the nuances of the NFL, McKinnon’s biggest obstacle when it comes to playing time is the most talented running back in the league.
Even at 29, Peterson will be the focal point of the offense and will garner more touches than anyone else on the roster, and rightfully so. It will be up to Turner to find different and creative ways to get McKinnon on the field in two-back formations while Peterson is also on the field at the same time. With defenses honing in on Peterson and Cordarrelle Patterson, Turner should have loads of opportunities to get McKinnon the ball in open space, where he is most dangerous.
Digesting Turner’s playbook and gelling into a cohesive unit will certainly take time for the offense, but for now the team is giving McKinnon opportunities on special teams as a returner, which is just another way to get the ball into the speedy playmakers hands. Between returning punts and being the teams third-down back, McKinnon will have his fair share of opportunities to make plays, and while his carries on the ground will be limited because of Peterson, he will catch a lot of balls in this offense.
40-60 catches in his rookie season would be a realistic and solid foundation to start from, and with his home run ability that amount of catches could equate to 600-700 yards through the air. Calculate in his special teams contribution on top of his rushes, and your looking at the potential of 1,000 all purpose yards from McKinnon. Of course that hinges on just how quickly he can learn the offense and transition to life in the NFL.