BuffZone's Pat Rooney believes recent Colorado football transfer addition, ex-Oklahoma State DB DJ McKinney, will be a potential impact addition amidst a loaded Buffs secondary with two No. 1 CBs in their recruiting class, Travis Hunter (2022) and Cormani McClain (2023).
"Having wealth of talent at cornerback hasn’t prevented CU from adding intriguing talent, as on Sunday night the Buffs received a commitment from former Oklahoma State defensive back DJ McKinney," Rooney wrote. "The Buffs already have Travis Hunter and Cormani McClain, the top-rated cornerbacks in the nation their respective recruiting classes, in addition to the expected return of two productive rotation players in Omarion Cooper and Carter Stoutmire. McKinney is another potential impact player in the secondary after leading the Cowboys’ cornerbacks in tackles with 38. The new defensive coordinator will have some depth to work with."
McKinney was a 3-star coming out of Colleyville Heritage and is a 3-star upon his transfer, but recruiting ranking notwithstanding, he comes to the Buffs with Big 12 experience on a Cowboys squad that overperformed in 2023; though admittedly less so because of the OK State defense.
Colorado football defensive coordinator could appeal to Buffs' strengths in secondary
CU is not a team that has dominated in the trenches thus far -- as we all know, no one knowing more so than Shedeur Sanders given his Buffs offensive line-induced injuries -- and arguably underperformed in the secondary given the talent level.
While several blue-chip transfers will grace the defensive line, which could lead to improvement in a unit that showed promise as the 2023 season progressed, perhaps Coach Prime could make a secondary-focused hire.
Reed is a pie-in-the-sky type hire, but he'd certainly be able to instill the kind of values Deion Sanders wants in his defenders. We know he's a player's coach after he got fired for fighting for his Bethune-Cookman locker room against the school for a lack of respectable resources.