
Isaiah McKoy Height: 6'3" Weight: 200lb Age: 22
In 2020, Kent State was the number one scoring offense in the FBS. This was in large part due to their #1 receiver, Isaiah McKoy. He was a 2021 NFL draft hopeful, that should have been the first player taken in the draft from Kent State since 2014. The last WR to be taken in the draft from Kent State was Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman. Although these two are very different style receivers, there are a lot of similarities between the two.
Let's start with his college career, so you can see why this guy has so much potential. In 2018, as a Freshman, McKoy had 42 catches for 423 yards. The following year McKoy had an impressive 56-872-8 stat line that led his school to its first bowl win ever, where he led all receivers with a 103 yard game. This season also had a very impressive 83 yard game against Auburn where he was lining up against Noah Igbinoghene, a first round pick that year. Due to Covid, his junior year was cut short but he still amassed a 25-455-5 IN JUST FOUR GAMES. McKoy averaged over 100 yards a game and was on track to have a 75-1365-15 season. This WR is the real deal and his stats prove it.
Now let's talk about the let down of the 2021 draft. A lot of teams liked him for the same reasons the Panthers like him, he's a big reciever that is a legitimate deep pass threat. Unfortunately for Isaiah, his 4.68 40-yard dash is not a good representation of how fast he is. I have watched multiple of his big games, and his highlight reels, and he has not been caught from behind once. Other than the 40-yard dash the rest of his pro-day was not as impressive as he would have hoped. McKoy went undrafted and was signed and waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL scouts that were interviewed after his pro-day all had a similar thought about him, they wished he had played his senior year at Kent State. With this in mind, the USFL is a perfect landing spot for McKoy to launch his NFL career. I have no doubt in my mind that he has the talent to be the best WR in the USFL.
Finally, we should talk about the tangibles that make him a valuable asset to the Michigan Panthers. Everything I'm going to say here is my opinion from watching him play, and I am not qualified to be a USFL or NFL scout. With that being said, NFL scouts have also said these things about him at his games and his pro-day, so there is a lot of truth in what I am saying. This guy is nowhere near his ceiling as a WR. He is deceivingly fast and borderline uncoverable. He has big hands and a very impressive wingspan. His stopping ability is inhuman and the defenders have to respect his curl and his go, which you can not do at the same time leading to wide-open passes. He has a nose for the endzone, which the Panthers absolutely need considering we were at the bottom of the USFL in offense. He was a standout player anytime the Golden Flashes played a power 5 school and literally scored on 1st round talent. He is ready to play at the next level and I'm incredibly happy the Panthers were the ones who saw his potential. If we do not get Lance Lenoir back next season, this is an easy starter every week with #1 WR potential.
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