2015 NFL Mock Draft: Melvin Gordon is a Colt

<p>The inside linebacker position has yet to provide a clear-cut top prospect, but the Arizona Cardinals grab the towering Bernardrick McKinney here to replace Larry Foote. Now that Foote has transitioned into the Cardinals’ coaching staff and the team can’t count on the return of Daryl Washington from suspension, McKinney will be tasked with keeping the heart of this defensive front beating.</p> <p>The Cardinals may be losing defensive tackle Dan Williams to free agency, as well, so the unit will need to collectively step up their game against the run. McKinney may lack the star qualities that jump off the screen on tape, but this is a very solid prospect that will enter the league with a high floor. At 6’5″ and nearly 250 pounds, McKinney impressed with a 4.66 40-yard dash at the combine along with a vertical jump of 40.5 inches.</p> <p>With a very strong secondary already in place for the Cardinals, McKinney’s ability to cover tight ends down the seam could make it even harder on opposing quarterbacks. He would be one of the few inside linebackers in the league with enough size and length to match up against the athletic tight ends like Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham. McKinney has an absolute nose for the football, puts himself in position to impact most plays and I see him developing quietly into a tackling machine that impacts the defense in a variety of ways.</p>. ILB. Mississippi State. Bernardrick McKinney. 24. player. 32