Notre Dame football: Javon McKinley continues push for roster spot
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football program got a breakout season from Javon McKinley in 2020, and he is trying to turn heads as an undrafted rookie with Detroit.
Last season, the combination of Ben Skowronek and Javon McKinley led the Notre Dame football team at the wide receiver position. The two played so well that they were considered legitimate draft prospects after the season ended, and both found their way on NFL rosters to kick off the offseason.
Skowronek was a seventh-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams, and he is currently out after having surgery on his forearm. McKinley did not hear his name called in the draft, but was able to sign on as an undrafted free agent in Detroit, and is currently in the process of locking down a spot on the 53-man roster.
He has played well in his two preseason games so far, catching all three of his targets, and on Saturday night, he was able to put some points on the board.
Notre Dame football star hauls in first NFL touchdown
It may only be the preseason, but last night, McKinley found the end zone for the first time as an NFL player. Going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers in his second preseason game, McKinley was able to make a nice play in the end zone, hauling in a pass from David Blough towards the sideline and getting both feet down (video).
It was the kind of play that could go a long way in him secure a roster spot in Detroit, and he is doing a nice job this summer trying to achieve that. The wide receiver room for the Lions is wide open, and in a game where Detroit struggled on offense, his long catch was one of the bigger plays of the night.
Making an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent is never easy, especially when you play a skill position as McKinley does. Still, he is the kind of player that has had to work for everything he has earned, and if he can put another solid week of practice in, and shine in the team’s third preseason game, he is going to be a player that is very hard for Dan Campbell to cut.