Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney drops in NFL player rankings
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 1, 2026, 2:09 PM
Last updated Sep 1, 2026
ESPN ranked Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney as the 84th best player in the NFL as the 2026 season approaches. This placement represents a 30-spot decrease from his 54th-place ranking in 2025. Despite the drop, McKinney earned second-team All-Pro honors last season after a first-team selection the previous year. His interception total decreased from eight in 2024 to two in 2025, a shift attributed in part to opposing quarterbacks avoiding his coverage areas. Statistical analysis shows he allowed a lower completion percentage and a reduced quarterback rating when targeted during the 2025 season. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is expected to utilize McKinney in new roles this season as the team looks to increase its defensive turnover production.
- •Xavier McKinney holds the 84th spot on the ESPN top-100 NFL players list for 2026.
- •The safety dropped 30 positions from his 54th-place ranking in 2025.
- •McKinney allowed a 57.5 percent completion rate while playing for the Green Bay Packers last season.
- •Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon plans to rotate safeties in different positions during the upcoming season.
- 2:09 PMYahoo Sports — 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 [...]
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