Roswell’s McKinney weighing options, with UGA among his choices

While Georgia high school football is underway, recruiting season is also in full swing A top target Georgia is after is focused on both fronts.

Roswell defensive back Xavier McKinney is a priority target for many programs, as he currently holds 12 offers from Power 5schools.

And according to McKinney, everyone is getting an even shot.

McKinney decommitted from Alabama in July but not because of a lessened interest in the program. He believes he made his choice too early and plans to listen to what everyone has to say.

"I decommitted from Alabama (in July) simply because I needed some more time," McKinney said. "As I’ve re-opened my recruitment, I currently don’t have any leaders. I’m just letting everyone recruit me and I’ll take it from there."

McKinney said he still keeps in contact with Alabama. The program has a winning legacy that attracts McKinney to the program, such as a recent National Championship.

Jermaine Phillips, McKinney’s position coach at Roswell, keeps in touch with the senior safety about the recruiting process in addition to giving feedback and helping him improve his game. The defensive backs coach spoke on his thoughts of McKinney’s recruiting race.

Phillips agreed that McKinney’s situation is one that you don’t see often, but he doesn’t think that taking his time is a bad thing.

"He’s just weighing his options to figure what the best fit is for him," Phillips said. "He doesn’t have a leader, truly anyone from peak his interest. Everyone that has interest in him has a fair shot, from what I can gather. This is a major decision for him, so I don’t mind him taking time to think."

Phillips also dove into what McKinney brings to the field for any college football program, and gave a strong comparison to a dependable former NFL defensive back.

"I’ve compare Xavier to Ed Reed," Phillips said. "He’s going to get any ball that’s in the air, and he’s a good tackler. The things college coaches don’t see stand out as well, like his football IQ. He’s not a liability in man coverage, and can really do it all. Xavier’s a versatile player and can help any college team."

McKinney ranks as the 11th-best safety nationally, and the 13th-overall prospect in the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports.com composite rankings. At 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds, McKinney carries a slender build, but his list of offers and amount of attention back up that he can have a sizable impact at the next level.

McKinney has voiced particular interest in three programs on social media, despite exchanging dialogue with a long list of coaches. In addition to Alabama, Clemson and Georgia seem to lead the list of contenders.

Clemson’s college-town feel, along with head coach Dabo Swinney and defensive coordinator Brent Venables, have interested McKinney greatly in the Tigers.

"Clemson attracts me because of the community," McKinney said. "It’s family-based and the people there are great. I love the coaching staff as well, and they tell me that I would be playing early."

McKinney also speaks highly of Georgia and is in contact with many of the its commitments in the recruiting class of 2017. Playing for Kirby Smart and the new coaching staff idea, along with playing for an in-state program, are areas that have McKinney interested in the Bulldogs.

"Georgia is still very much in the race, as many schools are," McKinney said. "They’re intriguing because they have a great coaching staff and they’re trying to build from the ground up."

McKinney has a close relationship with William Poole III, a Georgia commitment at defensive back in the upcoming recruiting class. Poole said that if there was one player he would want to bring to Georgia, it would be McKinney.

He expanded on why that would be special to him.

"Xavier and I get along a lot because we have the same (aspirations) and goals for the next level," Poole said. "I feel like greatness surrounds itself with greatness. He’s a pure ball hawk at the safety position and always goes the distance with it. He’s the complete defensive back. That’s why I want to bring him with me to Athens."

McKinney said that the endorsement by Poole means a lot, but he will make the choice that makes the most sense for him.

McKinney plans to make his announcement on Jan. 1, 2017. McKinney plans to look closely at his options before making his decision.

"I truly talk to everyone but I’ll look at a few factors when deciding," McKinney said. "I want to find the right atmosphere, see how people treat each other and figure if I can see myself playing for that program."

This story was originally published August 19, 2016 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Roswell’s McKinney weighing options, with UGA among his choices."