After losing 2024 Heisman Winner Travis Hunter to the NFL, where he was selected third overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colorado Buffaloes will need to fill a big void. Because he was a two-way star, replacing him won’t be easy.
Finding a new receiver shuldn’t be too difficult — Colorado already has a few candidates on its team. But finding a new CB proves to be more challenging. Meet DB DJ McKinney, who is up for the task.
Colorado Finds New CB1 in DJ McKinney After Travis Hunter’s NFL Exit
DJ McKinney, a 6’2″, 180-pound junior from Colleyville, Texas, looks to be coach Deion Sanders’ new top shutdown cornerback. The former three-star recruit and 62nd overall cornerback spent his freshman year at Oklahoma State.
With the Cowboys, he played in all 14 games during the 2023 season and had 38 tackles and five pass breakups. Seven of the 38 tackles came against Texas in the Big 12 Championship game.
Colorado WR Joseph Williams vs CB DJ McKinney 👀
Joseph Williams is going to be Special 🔥 #SkoBuffs pic.twitter.com/kSC0Lu13kq
— We Coming 🦬 (@SkoBuffsGoBuffs) April 1, 2025
He then transferred to Colorado, and this past season, he played in every game and had the most defensive snaps on the team with 840. He finished third on the team in tackles (62) and tallied 44 unassisted tackles, nine pass breakups, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and one recovered fumble.
In every way possible, McKinney has a nose for the football and can make a play, whether by a deflection, interception, tackle, forced fumble, or recovered football. McKinney can make a play all over the football field.
Still, McKinney was not in the Heisman conversation like his former teammate, but Head Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes might rely on him to make a play on the defensive end just as much as Hunter.
Both in the secondary and at wide receiver, the Big 12 is loaded with star-studded talent. There are tons of interesting and competitive matchups that will be taking place this coming season.
Perhaps the most interesting matchup in the Big 12 this season is the battle between Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and Colorado’s DJ McKinney.
The two will go head-to-head against each other rather late in the season on November 22. Based on last season’s returning players, these two are the best two players in the conference in terms of their respective positions. All college football fans, as well as NFL scouts, should be tuned in to this matchup.
Why Could Jordyn Tyson Be A Test For DJ McKinney?
Starting with Tyson, he gets to play his former team, the Buffaloes, where he spent his freshman year. He played in nine games and had 22 catches for 470 yards and four touchdowns. His sophomore season after transferring to Arizona State was nothing to ride home about, as he appeared in just three games and failed to register a catch.
However, it was his junior season when he erupted and broke out. A huge part of his breakout was due to his teammates running back Cam Skattebo and quarterback Sam Leavitt breaking out as well.
But nonetheless, Tyson had 75 receptions, 1,101 receiving yards, and ten touchdowns. He torched opposing defenses and was a matchup nightmare last season. He averaged 91.8 yards per game and 14.7 yards per catch.
RELATED: QB Prodigy JuJu Lewis Graduates Early, Joins Colorado After Rewriting Georgia’s Record Books
This is also a huge game for McKinney. This is his first opportunity to prove to his coaches and the world that he can be a cornerback. Similarly to Tyson, he will also be eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and looks to impress many teams and put his name on their radar.
This game will be one of the biggest of his career as he gets the opportunity to match up against one of the country’s more underrated and talented wide receivers. Expect a hard-fought and physical matchup between those two, regardless of the score outcome of their two teams.
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