PROSPECT SUMMARY – ISAIAH MCKOY

Kent State wide receiver Isaiah McKoy is a vertical threat who wins most consistently on deep shots up the field. He’s got a big frame, long strides, and when he’s picked up the flight of the ball in the air, he subsequently does well to track the ball over his shoulder. McKoy was also sparingly utilized in designed screen game to the boundary, but he will not be as effective there in the pros on account of his long strides and a lack of lateral agility. While McKoy does track the ball well in the air, he does have some issues with securing the football consistently at the catch point without double catches or drops—which is something to monitor as he looks to find his pro footing. In all, McKoy does not profile as someone with a high ceiling as a special teamer, so he will need to impress quickly to command early reps and an active roster spot as a downfield target.

Ideal Role: Developmental Z receiver.

Scheme Fit: Vertical passing offense.

FILM EVALUATION

Written by Kyle Crabbs

Games watched: Penn State (2018), Auburn (2019), Wisconsin (2019), Utah State (2019), Buffalo (2020)

Best Game Studied: Auburn (2019)

Worst Game Studied: Wisconsin (2019)

Route Running: He wins most on vertical releases and does well to stay on the red line when stacking with outside release to keep a throwing window for his passer to feather the ball into. I do not see a great deal of fluidity or agility at the top of routes to play on steep angles.

Hands: Double-caught a number of targets that made securing the catch harder than you’d hoped it would be. Drops of the concentration variety and also of hand softness appear to be something a pro team must be ready to live with.

Separation: McKoy has an easy accelerator outside the first 10 yards and routinely adds extra space when he’s tracking the ball over his shoulder with long strides. His initial quickness and burst in short spaces will never be a strength on account of his high-hipped build and long strides.

Release Package: McKoy’s functional strength is adequate but I do believe he’ll need some time to build out his releases to best optimize himself to get off press coverage quickly on the outside. Placing him at the Z alignment to keep him off the line of scrimmage will build him more flexibility.

Run After Catch: McKoy’s ability to take passes in stride and his vertical dynamic will set him up for significant chunks of yardage if he can master winning routes early. He’s got enough size that he won’t easily be pulled down; arm tackles aren’t likely to get the job done. But he does not display a great deal of open-field wiggle and if he’s forced to gear down, getting started again is a challenge.

Ball Skills: Really appreciate how natural he is to track the ball over his shoulder and temper his speeds to ensure he’s got a half a step when the ball arrives. At the same time, you wish he was more consistent getting his hands aligned to cleanly secure the catch.

Football IQ: He’s fairly one-dimensional as a route-runner, and as a result, defensive backs will likely be able to sit on his routes without much fear of giving up big plays. He’s going to need time and patience to build out a more versatile tree to keep defenders honest or else be designated as a depth or developmental target for the foreseeable future.

Versatility: He was used sparingly in the return game toward the end of his career with Kent State, but that isn’t a favorable role moving forward. His ideal role is aligned on the outside (he was mostly aligned on the right side of the set) and charged with attacking beyond 10 yards downfield with his route stems.

Competitive Toughness: He’s tough to knock off or dislodge the ball from at the catch point. He’s got an angular frame but plenty of mass and does well to not let hand fighting get him off schedule working on vertical route steps. He showed admirable effort as a blocker in the screen game when he was aligned on the point.

Big-Play Ability: Some of his best reps come down the field looking for home run shots. He averaged 15.6 ypc in 2019 on 56 receptions and 18.2 ypc on 25 receptions in an abbreviated season in 2020.