Green Bay Packers: Xavier McKinney drops 30 spots in ESPN’s ranking of the top 100 NFL players
One of the biggest question marks the Green Bay Packers had to answer this offseason was how to improve their cornerback room. While they used free agent and draft resources to address the position, how well they fulfilled those needs will only be determined once regular season games finally begin. Fortunately for the Packers, they [...]
The Green Bay Packers have faced challenges in bolstering their cornerback position this offseason. Xavier McKinney, the team's safety, finds himself falling down ESPN's ranking of the top 100 NFL players. McKinney, a two-time All-Pro, was once ranked as the 54th best player in the NFL by ESPN, after a stellar 2024 season that included a Pro Bowl appearance and First Team All-Pro honors.
However, in 2025, his ranking has dropped to 84th. This decline is attributed to a decrease in his interception total from eight in 2024 to just two in 2025. Despite this drop, McKinney's overall play hasn't shown much decline, as he was named second-team All-Pro in 2025. New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has indicated his intention to shuffle his safeties around more, potentially giving McKinney more opportunities to make impactful plays.
McKinney's drop in ranking is partly due to quarterbacks ceasing to throw the ball his way, a sign of respect rather than a reflection of his play. In fact, McKinney may have been even better in 2025 than in 2024, with a lower completion percentage and a lower quarterback rating when targeted. If McKinney can capitalize on the potential interception opportunities he had last year, his stock could rise significantly by next year.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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