DJ McKinney quietly emerged as one of the top ascending corners in college football during his first season at Colorado, playing a full season opposite Travis Hunter in 2024. A long, lean press-man defender at 6'2", McKinney possesses the ideal frame and functional speed to match up with boundary receivers. He logged a team-high 840 defensive snaps while compiling 62 tackles, 9 pass breakups, and 3 interceptions—including a pick-six against his former team, Oklahoma State. McKinney allowed just a 58.1 passer rating into his coverage and earned a 75.3 PFF coverage grade, cementing himself as a breakout performer. With Hunter now off to the NFL, McKinney is poised to take over CB1 duties in 2025 and will face increased attention from opposing offenses. He projects best in Cover 1 and Cover 3 schemes that emphasize physicality at the line of scrimmage, where his length and instincts can shine. Another productive campaign could vault him into Day 1 territory and solidify his case as a top-tier corner in the 2026 NFL Draft.