The Atlanta Falcons made Takkarist McKinley’s dream come true by selecting him 26th overall. He promptly dedicated the moment to his grandmother.
A constant theme of the NFL Draft is seeing peoples’ childhood dreams come true. It often leads to raw emotions, whether the draft pick is there or not, and that was especially the case with Takkarist McKinley. The UCLA defensive end got selected 26th overall after the Atlanta Falcons traded for the Seattle Seahawks’ first round pick.
For the prospects that don’t receive a ton of hype, just getting drafted at all is enough for them. But once McKinley got selected in the first round — and by the Super Bowl finalists, no less — he let all of his emotions out. He brought a picture of his grandmother to the Draft, and went on an impassioned speech when he had to give his obligatory interview:
McKinley let loose an f-bomb on live television, but rather than apologize, he went the Odell Beckham route by daring the league to fine him. Given that he was so caught up in the emotion, you can’t blame him. And while ESPN and NFL Network had to apologize, they knew it made for great television.
McKinley is hoping that he can be one of the best success stories in the NFL. By doing this at the Draft, he ensures that people are talking about him right away. If he can leave all of his emotions out on the field, he’s going to be a hell of a player for the Falcons.
Next: 2017 NFL Draft instant grades
It’s no surprise to see the Falcons went with a defensive player after giving up a 25-point lead in the Super Bowl. Their offense should still be regarded as one of the best units in the league, but after replacing Kyle Shanahan with Steve Sarkisian, it’s bound to take a step back. Now that McKinley’s in the league, his number one goal should be to help get the Falcons back to the Super Bowl.