Kelson McKinney from Green County one of the better all-around football players in Kentucky @KelsonMckinney4 @minguabeefjerky @1776Bank @840WHAS @green_county @ColtPhelps1

Kelson Mckinney, Green County Dragons

’24 multiphase contributor also multi-sport star and a Class 2A All-Stater

There isn’t a single player in the KHSAA who meant more to his team’s bottom line than Kelson McKinney did this past season. The 5’11,” 215-pounder who ran the 40 in 4.76-seconds, shuttled in 4.37-seconds, and bench presses 265-pounds while squatting 445-pounds, demonstrated an ability to contribute to his team’s 10-3 season in a variety of ways. He wants to play football in college and pursue a degree in Criminal Justice. We want that for him.

Hudl Highlights Senior Season

More and more today we see college programs which prize versatility and athletic skill sets which lend itself to more than one sport. Kelson McKinney should be right up some program’s alley.

McKinney plays football, basketball, and competes on the Track & Field team, flourishing in field events. McKinney won the state title in Discuss while finishing Runner-up, in his division, in the Shot Put.

McKinney is a starter in basketball. Green County is off to a 10-8 start, as of the writing of this particular article, and McKinney is its third leading scorer at 8.6- points per ball game.

As impressive as all of that is, it pales in comparison to his football production this past season. In ’23, McKinney rushed for 1,189-yards with 14-TDs while averaging 7.62-yards per carry over his 156-rushes from scrimmage. He completed his only passing attempt, a 72-yard TD. He led the team with 39-receptions for 538-yards and another 8-scores.

McKinney rushed for 1,189-yards, 14-TDs, averaging 7.62-yards per carry over his 156-rushes...McKinney completed his only passing attempt for a 72-yard TD and led the team with 39-receptions for 538-yards and another 8-scores.

Friday Night Fletch

He was the ball club’s leading scorer. McKinney scored 14-TDs rushing, 8-receiving, while housing two (2) pick-sixes and converting seven (7) two-pointers. That is three phase scoring and 158-points or 12.2 per game.

McKinney played defense as well. McKinney led the team in tackles (67), was second in INTs (3), and tied for the team lead in pick-sixes (2) while leading the club with 162 IRNYs. We can’t imagine any more production from one player.

McKinney is 5’11,” and weighs 215-well put together pounds. McKinney runs the 40-yard dash in 4.76-seconds, shuttles in 4.36-seconds, and runs the L-cone in 7.8-seconds. McKinney bench presses 265, squats 445, has a vertical of 28-inches and a broad jump just shy of nine (9) feet (8’11”).

The Greenburg, Kentucky native told Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), “I aspire to play football in college while pursuing my degree in Criminal Justice.” McKinney went on to tell NCSA, “I am a hard worker and [am a] goal oriented student athlete [who] strives to be the best in all I do.”

Words regularly used to describe McKinney are “leader” and “great teammate.” We have a few words of our own which adequately describe this football-playing phenom. Those words are “bone-fide future college football star.”

Hey, kid! See you around campus.

This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!

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About Fletcher Long 1598 Articles
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

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