What to Expect from Takk McKinley in His Rookie Season

The Atlanta Falcons paid a premium to move up and select pass rusher Takk McKinley. What should fans expect from the rookie in 2017?

When you’re a first round pick on a conference champion team, the pressure is on to produce immediately. Couple that with the fact the team traded up to get you and the expectations intensify.

That is the situation Falcons first rounder Takk McKinley finds himself in. The only difference is the defending NFC Champions are not one player away from a Super Bowl title; they are zero players away.

The Falcons already laid the foundation on defense to be a championship contender. To sustain that, the goal this offseason was to bolster the unit by adding as many “urgent” athletes as possible.

By jumping teams like of Dallas, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh, the Falcons accomplished that with Takk McKinley. The former Bruin was arguably the most explosive edge rusher in his class as evidenced by his broad jump and 10 yard split at the combine.

But that’s not to say the Falcons newest toy is in any way a finished product. Often times at UCLA, Takk operated like a man without a plan due to a lack of refinement in his hand usage.

That’s not uncommon to see from a rookie pass rusher coming out of college though. We saw it from Vic Beasley his first year as he, too, relied on athleticism alone to beat offensive tackles.

Thanks in part to the mentorship of Dwight Freeney and a year under his belt, Vic successfully made the second year leap notorious of most young pass rushers. Now with Beasley assuming more of a leadership role in 2017, the roles will be reversed.

But don’t expect Beasley’s guidance to translate to success right off the bat for McKinley. Nor do we need instant gratification from the Falcons’ 2017 first round pick.

McKinley is entering a situation where he will not be looked upon as the team’s top pass rushing option. That honor belongs to the likes of Beasley, Grady Jarrett, and Dontari Poe.

Vic was not afforded such a luxury when he was the Falcons’ first round pick in 2015. The Falcons threw him to the fire his first year as the organization attempted to reconstruct its pass rush under Dan Quinn.

McKinley, on the other hand, can come in and ease into his role as the LEO of the future. Brooks Reed and Adrian Clayborn have shown they are more than capable of filling in there while Takk bides his time.

However, the one advantage Takk has going for him to earn playing time early is his work against the run. Takk’s 18.0 TFLs are every bit as important as his 10.0 sacks were in 2016.

You can bet the coaching staff can’t wait to get those 34 3/4 inch long arms on the field to corral ball carriers. Just don’t be surprised if it doesn’t come right away.

Next: Get to know rookie running back Brian Hill

In the meantime, appreciate Takk McKinley for what he is. The new Roddy White of Twitter who has a bright future for the Falcons.