2020 Football Roster
Roster
McKinley III, Verone

Jersey Number 23
Verone McKinley III
- Position:
- Safety
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 196
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Carrollton, Texas
- High School:
- Hebron HS
Bio
PRONUNCIATION - Vuh-rone McKinley III
As A Sophomore (2021)
» Consensus All-American
» Paycom Jim Thorpe Award finalist
» Associated Press All-America first team
» Walter Camp All-America first team
» Sporting News All-America first team
» CBS Sports & ESPN All-America first team
» AFCA All-America second team
» FWAA All-America second team
» Coaches Pac-12 All-Conference first team
» AP All-Pac-12 first team
» Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week (Week 2)
» Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week (Week 3)
One of 10 consensus all-Americans in program history, earning five first-team all-America honors and a pair of second-team recognitions ... One of three finalists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back ... First-team all-Pac-12 honoree by the league's coaches and the Associated Press ... Tied for the FBS lead with six interceptions ... Finished his career with 11 total interceptions, one shy of joining the UO all-time top 10 ... Hauled in four interceptions in a three-game span early in the season ... Ranked second on the Ducks with a career-high 78 total tackles, including 44 solo takedowns ... 78 tackles ranked 13th in the Pac-12 and second among defensive backs in the conference ... Racked up 12 passes defended and a forced fumble ... vs. Fresno State (Sept. 4): Made eight tackles, four solo, in Oregon's season-opening win ... at Ohio State (Sept. 11): Named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after helping lead Oregon to a huge road win over No. 3 Ohio State in Ohio Stadium ... Made six total tackles, forced a fumble, and sealed the game in the fourth quarter with his first interception of the season ... vs. Stony Brook (Sept. 18): Named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after hauling in two interceptions for the second multi-pick game of his career ... vs. Arizona (Sept. 25): Made it three straight games with an interception, pulling in his fourth in a three-game span ... First Duck with an interception in three straight games since Erick Dargan in 2012 ... Aded six tackles, including four solo ... vs. California (Oct. 15): Made seven tackles and got a quarterback hurry on the final play of the game to preserve the Oregon victory ... vs. Washington State (Nov. 13): Made eight total tackles and notched his fifth interception of the season and 10th of his career ... vs. Oregon State (Nov. 27): Made six tackles and added a tackle for loss in a rivalry win over the Beavers ... vs. Utah (Dec. 3): Pulled in his sixth interception of the year and 11th of his career in the 2021 Pac-12 Championship Game ... vs. Oklahoma (Dec. 29): Closed his career with six tackles in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
As A Sophomore (2020)
Made six starts while playing in all seven games for Oregon during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season … Finished third on the team with 41 total tackles, including 21 solo stops … Showed a nose for the ball with an interception, fumble recovery, forced fumble, and two pass breakups … Tremendous performance vs. UCLA with his fifth career interception, a fumble recovery and a then-career-high seven tackles … vs. Stanford (Nov. 7): Opened the season with four tackles, three solo, and the first forced fumble of his career … vs. UCLA (Nov. 21): Recorded a then-career-high seven tackles vs. the Bruins while adding an interception and a 35-yard fumble return … One of just seven FBS players in 2020 with an interception, fumble recovery and at least seven tackles in a game … at Oregon State (Nov. 27): Set a career-high for tackles for the second week in a row with nine, including five solo stops … Added a pass breakup … at California (Dec. 5): Made three tackles and added a PBU … at USC (Dec. 18): Matched career-high with nine total tackles, two solo, to help Oregon win a second straight Pac-12 title … vs. Iowa State (Jan. 2): Tied career-high with five solo tackles while finishing with eight total in the Fiesta Bowl.
As A Redshirt Freshman (2019)
» FWAA Freshman All-America team
» The Athletic Freshman All-America second team
» Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week (Week 7)
» PFF Pac-12 Team of the Week (Week 7)
Tied for the Pac-12 and team lead with four interceptions … Third freshman to lead the Pac-12 in INTs since 1978 … Tied for third among FBS freshmen in INTs … One of three FBS freshmen with two interceptions in a game … One of four Pac-12 players with two interceptions in a Pac-12 game … Four INTs came over a four-game span in Pac-12 play … Played in 14 games and made 11 starts at safety, including all nine regular season Pac-12 games … Second among FBS freshmen with 501 snaps played in pass coverage, according to PFF … Played a total of 747 snaps … Made 46 tackles, including 29 solo and one for a loss … Made five or more tackles four times … Added two pass breakups … vs. No. 16 Auburn (Aug. 31): Made first career start and had three tackles … vs. Colorado (Oct. 11): Became the only Oregon player with two interceptions in a game in 2019 … Two INTs came in a span of four drives, highlighted by a 53-yard return that set up an Oregon TD … Add five tackles … Named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after the performance … First Oregon freshman to be named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week since 2016 … vs. Washington State (Oct. 26): Led the team with a career-high seven tackles and picked up his third INT … Marked his second INT of the season in the red zone … at USC (Nov. 2): Second straight game with an INT … Returned second-quarter INT 25 yards that led to Oregon’s first TD of the game … Marked his fourth INT in four games.
As A Freshman (2018)
Enrolled in January of 2018 … Utilized a redshirt … Played in the first three games of the season … Made three solo tackles.
High School
Signed during December early signing period … Four-star prospect and the No. 32 cornerback in the class by Rivals … Top six corner in Texas by Rivals and 247Sports … Three-star rating and the No. 39 cornerback by 247Sports … Rivals also ranked him the No. 47 prospect in Texas … Had a 247Sports composite rating as the No. 38 cornerback and No. 57 in Texas … Participated in the The Opening’s Dallas Regional … Named first-team All-6A District 5 as a senior … Selected to the 247Sports All-Midlands team ... Had five interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and 50 total tackles while forcing a fumble … Earned first-team All-6A District 5 as a junior … Intercepted four passes and made 38 tackles while defending 14 passes and recovering two fumbles … Picked off four passes, returning one for a touchdown, while making 28 tackles and recording two tackles for loss as a freshman … Chose Oregon over Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Houston, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, LSU, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UCLA, Washington, Washington State and others.
As A Sophomore (2021)
» Consensus All-American
» Paycom Jim Thorpe Award finalist
» Associated Press All-America first team
» Walter Camp All-America first team
» Sporting News All-America first team
» CBS Sports & ESPN All-America first team
» AFCA All-America second team
» FWAA All-America second team
» Coaches Pac-12 All-Conference first team
» AP All-Pac-12 first team
» Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week (Week 2)
» Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week (Week 3)
One of 10 consensus all-Americans in program history, earning five first-team all-America honors and a pair of second-team recognitions ... One of three finalists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back ... First-team all-Pac-12 honoree by the league's coaches and the Associated Press ... Tied for the FBS lead with six interceptions ... Finished his career with 11 total interceptions, one shy of joining the UO all-time top 10 ... Hauled in four interceptions in a three-game span early in the season ... Ranked second on the Ducks with a career-high 78 total tackles, including 44 solo takedowns ... 78 tackles ranked 13th in the Pac-12 and second among defensive backs in the conference ... Racked up 12 passes defended and a forced fumble ... vs. Fresno State (Sept. 4): Made eight tackles, four solo, in Oregon's season-opening win ... at Ohio State (Sept. 11): Named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after helping lead Oregon to a huge road win over No. 3 Ohio State in Ohio Stadium ... Made six total tackles, forced a fumble, and sealed the game in the fourth quarter with his first interception of the season ... vs. Stony Brook (Sept. 18): Named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after hauling in two interceptions for the second multi-pick game of his career ... vs. Arizona (Sept. 25): Made it three straight games with an interception, pulling in his fourth in a three-game span ... First Duck with an interception in three straight games since Erick Dargan in 2012 ... Aded six tackles, including four solo ... vs. California (Oct. 15): Made seven tackles and got a quarterback hurry on the final play of the game to preserve the Oregon victory ... vs. Washington State (Nov. 13): Made eight total tackles and notched his fifth interception of the season and 10th of his career ... vs. Oregon State (Nov. 27): Made six tackles and added a tackle for loss in a rivalry win over the Beavers ... vs. Utah (Dec. 3): Pulled in his sixth interception of the year and 11th of his career in the 2021 Pac-12 Championship Game ... vs. Oklahoma (Dec. 29): Closed his career with six tackles in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
As A Sophomore (2020)
Made six starts while playing in all seven games for Oregon during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season … Finished third on the team with 41 total tackles, including 21 solo stops … Showed a nose for the ball with an interception, fumble recovery, forced fumble, and two pass breakups … Tremendous performance vs. UCLA with his fifth career interception, a fumble recovery and a then-career-high seven tackles … vs. Stanford (Nov. 7): Opened the season with four tackles, three solo, and the first forced fumble of his career … vs. UCLA (Nov. 21): Recorded a then-career-high seven tackles vs. the Bruins while adding an interception and a 35-yard fumble return … One of just seven FBS players in 2020 with an interception, fumble recovery and at least seven tackles in a game … at Oregon State (Nov. 27): Set a career-high for tackles for the second week in a row with nine, including five solo stops … Added a pass breakup … at California (Dec. 5): Made three tackles and added a PBU … at USC (Dec. 18): Matched career-high with nine total tackles, two solo, to help Oregon win a second straight Pac-12 title … vs. Iowa State (Jan. 2): Tied career-high with five solo tackles while finishing with eight total in the Fiesta Bowl.
As A Redshirt Freshman (2019)
» FWAA Freshman All-America team
» The Athletic Freshman All-America second team
» Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week (Week 7)
» PFF Pac-12 Team of the Week (Week 7)
Tied for the Pac-12 and team lead with four interceptions … Third freshman to lead the Pac-12 in INTs since 1978 … Tied for third among FBS freshmen in INTs … One of three FBS freshmen with two interceptions in a game … One of four Pac-12 players with two interceptions in a Pac-12 game … Four INTs came over a four-game span in Pac-12 play … Played in 14 games and made 11 starts at safety, including all nine regular season Pac-12 games … Second among FBS freshmen with 501 snaps played in pass coverage, according to PFF … Played a total of 747 snaps … Made 46 tackles, including 29 solo and one for a loss … Made five or more tackles four times … Added two pass breakups … vs. No. 16 Auburn (Aug. 31): Made first career start and had three tackles … vs. Colorado (Oct. 11): Became the only Oregon player with two interceptions in a game in 2019 … Two INTs came in a span of four drives, highlighted by a 53-yard return that set up an Oregon TD … Add five tackles … Named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after the performance … First Oregon freshman to be named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week since 2016 … vs. Washington State (Oct. 26): Led the team with a career-high seven tackles and picked up his third INT … Marked his second INT of the season in the red zone … at USC (Nov. 2): Second straight game with an INT … Returned second-quarter INT 25 yards that led to Oregon’s first TD of the game … Marked his fourth INT in four games.
As A Freshman (2018)
Enrolled in January of 2018 … Utilized a redshirt … Played in the first three games of the season … Made three solo tackles.
High School
Signed during December early signing period … Four-star prospect and the No. 32 cornerback in the class by Rivals … Top six corner in Texas by Rivals and 247Sports … Three-star rating and the No. 39 cornerback by 247Sports … Rivals also ranked him the No. 47 prospect in Texas … Had a 247Sports composite rating as the No. 38 cornerback and No. 57 in Texas … Participated in the The Opening’s Dallas Regional … Named first-team All-6A District 5 as a senior … Selected to the 247Sports All-Midlands team ... Had five interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and 50 total tackles while forcing a fumble … Earned first-team All-6A District 5 as a junior … Intercepted four passes and made 38 tackles while defending 14 passes and recovering two fumbles … Picked off four passes, returning one for a touchdown, while making 28 tackles and recording two tackles for loss as a freshman … Chose Oregon over Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Houston, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, LSU, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UCLA, Washington, Washington State and others.
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