For the fourth time in five years, a UCLA football player went in the first round of the NFL draft.
Datone Jones, Anthony Barr and Kenny Clark have all had their names called.
This year, it was defensive end Takkarist McKinley who, after being selected with the 26th pick by the Atlanta Falcons, carried a photo of his late grandmother up to the stage with him.
“This is who I’m doing it for,” McKinley said. “I made a promise (to her) and I kept it.”
McKinley, who spent three years with the Bruins after transferring from community college, was joined at the draft in Philadelphia by UCLA coach Jim Mora and defensive line coach Angus McClure.
The senior had been projected to be a first-round pick, even before getting offseason shoulder surgery, because of his pass-rush ability.
McKinley had the third-fastest 40-yard dash time – 4.59 seconds – among defensive linemen at the NFL combine in February and led the Bruins in tackles for loss and sacks this past season with 18 and 10, respectively.
Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick out of Texas A&M, had three tackles and a sack in the Aggies’ 31-24 overtime win over the UCLA in September.
Multiple Pac-12 players were selected on the first night of the draft, including Stanford’s Solomon Thomas with the San Francisco 49ers and the No. 3 overall pick, and running back Christian McCaffrey with the Carolina Panthers and the No. 8 overall pick.
Before the draft started, McKinley thanked Bruin fans for the support and his college experience.
“It’s been an amazing three years,” McKinley said in an interview with Pac-12 Networks. “All the support, being in the Rose Bowl and just the UCLA chant. Fours up.”
UCLA will still have multiple players on the board for the later rounds, including defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes and cornerback Fabian Moreau.
Unlike McKinley, Moreau’s injury – a pectoral injury he suffered during UCLA’s Pro Day – caused his stock to dip. Moreau is now projected to go in the third or fourth round of the draft.