Former UCLA Football Player Takkarist McKinley Needs Shoulder Surgery

UCLA fans know what a force Takkarist McKinley was this past season. At the NFL Combine today, McKinley disclosed that he played through shoulder pain since originally injuring it in the 2015 game against Arizona State, according to an article by Jeff Legwold on ESPN.com.

McKinley will participate in all the drills at the combine including the bench press and the on-field workout for defensive linemen.

Legwold quotes McKinley:

My agent asked if anything was wrong with me, and I said I had a shoulder that was sometimes bothering me. I had an MRI and the doctor was pretty much amazed I had played with it. Me, I just told my trainers at UCLA, “Just tape me up I'm ready to go.”

Why get surgery before the combine? This is a dream come true to me. I'm here to knock it out.

McKinley has a torn labrum and a fracture in the shoulder socket.

Takk had risen to be a projected first-round pick by Mel Kiper, Jr, but, concern over his injured shoulder could eventually affect when he gets drafted just like concern over Myles Jack’s knee affected when he got drafted last season.


Go Bruins.