Daraun McKinney ready to enroll at Iowa
After making a late switch from Northern Illinois to Iowa on signing day last month, Michigan cornerback Daraun McKinney is getting ready to make the move to Iowa City this week as an early enrollee for the Hawkeyes. We caught up with the 5-foot-10, 179-pound McKinney to talk about the transition to college, his future with the Hawkeyes, and much more.
Q: When do you make the move to Iowa City?
McKinney: I make my move to Iowa City this Wednesday.
Q: What are you looking forward to in starting college this semester, both on and off the field?
McKinney: Off the field, I’m just looking forward to the tremendous education that Iowa has to offer and the great vibes from the students and the community. On the field, I’m looking to make a huge impact on the team as early as possible and help us win the conference out and chase the chance for a national title.
Q: What have the coaches said about the opportunity and where you will start out position wise?
McKinney: They want me to play corner and be a return specialist. They told me as it is, the opportunity is there, and it’s all about how I want it and what I am willing to do to earn it.
Q: Now that everything has kind of settled down, can you tell us about the last couple weeks before signing day, and how it all came together for you? What was it about Iowa that led to you making the switch?
McKinney: That last couple of weeks were a time of shocking moments and blessings because when they came in and let me know that they’ve been watching me and were interested, it shocked me at first. Getting up there the following weekend was an outstanding sight on the community part, the great university, and also seeing those coaches show me the real them from the start and letting me know what it took to come in and outwork competition.
Q: Have you found out what number you will be wearing at Iowa?
McKinney: I’ll be rocking that #14
Q: Desmond King's number. What does that comparison mean to you?
McKinney: The comparison is a blessing to me honestly. Some people tell me don’t let yourself be compared to anyone, but I really look at him as a role model and a big brother because he knows the shoes I’m looking to fill exactly. We can relate to our entire football life as our recruitment went exactly the same, so he knows what I’m capable of doing more than anybody I would say.
Q: Have you found out who you are rooming with and all of that?
McKinney: Yes, I’m rooming with Shadrick Byrd.
Q: He's one of the recruits you had a chance to meet on your visit. How did you feel like you fit in overall with that group plus the current players and defensive backs?
McKinney: All of the recruits are beyond great people and we all talk daily in our group chat. That goes for the team also. I’m surrounded by great people, which can never go wrong. As a DB group, we are pretty tight and that bond will only grow.
In addition to Iowa and Northern Illinois, McKinney earned scholarship offers from Indiana, Cincinnati, Ball State, Buffalo, Miami-Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan, and Massachusetts during the recruiting process.
An all-state selection as a senior, McKinney had 78 tackles and five interceptions from his cornerback position. He took four of those interceptions back for touchdowns, and added 13 more scores via offense and the return game.
See highlights from McKinney's senior year at River Rouge in the video below.