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NFL re-draft lands Falcons Steelers superstar T.J. Watt
TL;DR
The Atlanta Falcons selected Takk McKinley in the 2017 NFL draft, but his career declined due to injuries and inconsistency. In hindsight, the Falcons could have chosen T.J. Watt, who has become a superstar with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Key points
- Atlanta Falcons drafted Takk McKinley in 2017 NFL draft
- McKinley had a promising start but injuries hampered his career
- T.J. Watt, who could have been drafted, became a superstar with the Steelers
Atlanta FalconsPittsburgh SteelersTakk McKinleyT.J. Watt
For a minute there, it appeared that the Atlanta Falcons had their guy.
With their first pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Atlanta took Takk McKinley out of UCLA. McKinley came with some promising traits and a colorful personality, replete with a picture of his grandma and an adorable French bulldog named Codeine.
McKinley's pro career got off to a promising start, as he posted six sacks in his rookie season to go with 10 QB hits. The following year Takk bumped those numbers to seven sacks and 15 QB hits. He might have been on the verge of breaking out and becoming a Pro Bowler, but it was all downhill from there.
Injuries took their toll and McKinley managed just 4.5 sacks over the next two years, an aggravating number given the pressures he produced - Takk just never figured out how to close the deal consistently. After the 2020 campaign he was let go and landed in Cleveland. He did not suit up for a team last season, meaning his career is likely overwith.
It didn't have to go this way, though. There were still plenty of (future) great players on the board when Atlanta took McKinley. A re-draft from Bleacher Report has them erasing that mistake and replacing Takk with Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt.
"McKinley appeared in 22 games after leaving the Falcons but hasn't played since 2024. Making his 2017 selection look worse is the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers landed edge-rusher T.J. Watt a few picks later. Watt, an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, would be a logical target for Atlanta—and a few other teams—in a 2017 re-draft."
No prospect is a guarantee, no matter how promising - but Watt came into the league as a fully-formed superstar. In 135 career games he's racked up 115 sacks, 244 QB hits, eight Pro Bowl appearances, a Defensive Player of the Year award and four All-Pro nods, giving Watt a strong case to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame some day.
Q&A
What were Takk McKinley's stats during his rookie season?
Takk McKinley recorded six sacks and 10 QB hits in his rookie season.
Why did the Falcons' selection of Takk McKinley in 2017 become controversial?
The selection became controversial as McKinley's performance declined due to injuries, while T.J. Watt, a potential pick, became a superstar.
What happened to Takk McKinley's NFL career after leaving the Falcons?
After leaving the Falcons, Takk McKinley played for the Cleveland Browns but did not suit up for any team last season, indicating his career may be over.
