Notre Dame football: Javon McKinley could earn roster spot in Detroit
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football program will have to replace Javon McKinley in 2021, but he is certainly thriving with the Detroit Lions so far at the next level.
Looking for a player to step up and lead the way at the wide receiver position in 2020, the Notre Dame football program got a tremendous effort from Javon McKinley. The senior racked up over 700 yards through the air on 42 catches, while finding the end zone three times, and becoming a key target for Ian Book.
However, as the three-day 2021 NFL Draft rolled on, McKinley did not hear his name called and would have to try and find a spot at the NFL level as an undrafted free agent. Luckily for McKinley, he found a soft landing spot with the Detroit Lions, a team rebuilding the offense, and looking for weapons for new quarterback Jared Goff.
After a solid showing in the spring, McKinley looks like a player who could legitimately help the Lions in 2021, and based on a recent move by the front office, he could be there to stay.
According to John Maakaron from All Lions on FanNation for Sports Illustrated, the Lions gave McKinley $100,000 in guaranteed money recently, which could be an indicator that he will stay on in Detroit. The Lions have a ton of issues with their roster, and wide receiver is certainly one of them, so it could end up being the best-case scenario for McKinley, landing in Detroit.
Notre Dame football has questions at wide receiver
With McKinley gone, the Irish will have to now figure out the wide receiver group once again, and this is an area to really keep an eye on this summer. Notre Dame has some solid players in veterans like Braden Lenzy, Kevin Austin Jr., and Avery Davis, as well as some true freshmen in Lorenzo Styles Jr., Jayden Thomas, and Deion Colzie.
Also, Joe Wilkins Jr., Lawrence Keys III, and Xavier Watts figure to be involved in the mix, giving Kelly a ton of options to replace both McKinley, and Ben Skowronek atop the depth chart. During the summer months, this is one position group that has a lot of questions, but also a lot of potential answers.
As training camps kick off in the NFL later this month, the Detroit Lions are definitely a team to keep an eye on, as McKinley and Tommy Kraemer look to make the team as undrafted free agents. Both players are in a great position to earn a roster spot, and for McKinley, the writing could already be on the wall.