Takkarist McKinley to have shoulder surgery following NFL Combine, miss 5-6 months

One of the most common picks for the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of mock drafts so far has been UCLA pass rusher Takkarist McKinley.

McKinley has an injury concern, however, as according to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole McKinley will undergo shoulder surgery following the NFL Combine.

This could potentially affect his draft status a bit, as even though the injury doesn’t seem like a big deal long-term, you never know what type of things could give teams hesitation. It’s also significant that it is expected to be a 5-6 month recovery, as five months from the conclusion of the Combine would already be in August, with six months being in September. That could potentially put part (or all) of his rookie offseason program and training camp in danger, which would likely be the bigger concern for teams than his long-term health. The good news for McKinley is that, if he still shows well at the Combine despite the injury, he’ll already be a good way into his recovery at the time of the draft, which means teams will have a much better idea of his recovery timetable.

The injury won’t prevent him from being drafted relatively highly in the upcoming draft, and there will be teams still interested in him. But any injury or surgery at this point, especially for a potential first round pick, will draw a lot of attention. For the Colts, this could help ensure that McKinley will be there at number 14/15, though there was a good chance of that happening anyway. Should they take him, though? So far, he’s been the second-most common pick in mock drafts for the Colts, as Indianapolis really needs pass rush help.

Whether the McKinley injury will have any impact at all on the Colts’ decision in the first round remains to be seen, but nonetheless it’s something that bears noting and watching when it comes to a player some think would be a fit for Indy.