MARYVILLE, Mo. — Chasing a dream to make an NFL roster, former Battle Creek Central standout Austin McKinney will take another step in that journey as he has been invited to the Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp.
Coming in as an undrafted free agent out of Northwest Missouri State University, McKinney will attend the Browns rookie camp on May 8-11 in Cleveland.
Advertisement
Once there, he will get a chance to prove he is deserving of an NFL roster spot. And, that’s all McKinney was looking for – just a chance.
MORE: Marshall’s Jack Bidwell is ‘best runner in the state’, heading to University of Michigan
Former Battle Creek Central standout Austin McKinney, right, plays defensive back for Northwest Missouri State University.
“This is another step in the journey,” McKinney said. “I feel extremely blessed to get this chance. My journey has all been about proving myself at every stop and this is another opportunity to do so.”
McKinney’s play during his final year at Northwest Missouri State University last fall opened some eyes among NFL scouts and provided him this chance to chase his professional football goals.
Advertisement
McKinney started all 11 games at cornerback in 2024 for Northwest Missouri State. He was second on the team with nine passes defensed, which ranked No. 9 in the team’s conference. He attended two showcase all-star bowl games in the postseason, getting invited to the Trillion Tropical Bowl and the FCS Bowl.
“The last two years I did everything right, stayed in the film room, worked year-round on my technique. Went from being a safety to a corner and I took the challenge to get better and it paid off,” McKinney said. “After the season, I did about 17 interviews with NFL teams who were interested in me. I didn’t know who would pick me up, but thought I would get picked up because I had a lot of people talking to me.”
Austin McKinney
McKinney, a 6-foot, 1-inch, 204-pound defensive back, has had a long road to get to this point, graduating from Battle Creek Central in 2017 after being a three-sport standout for the Bearcats. He first signed with Saginaw Valley State University out of high school. He transferred to Saddleback College in California in 2022 and then arrived at Northwest Missouri State for the 2023 season.
Advertisement
It has been a big week for McKinney. Along with getting an invite to an NFL camp, he will participate in graduation ceremonies to get his degree from Northwest Missouri State University this weekend.
“I am heading to Cleveland’s camp with a chance to make the team. Having played mostly Division II football, and not having a lot of film, they are bringing me in to check me out,” McKinney said. “They like me because I have good size for a defensive back and I can play press coverage. I feel like the Browns are a team I can make. I am pretty confident I can help that team.
“It would mean the world to me if I come out of this mini-camp and get signed. It would be a blessing for sure.”
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek’s McKinney receives NFL minicamp invite from Browns