Da'Raun McKinney

Photo by: Mac Mayhew '25 - @macmayhew

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

Photo by: Jared Lennon

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

Position:
Defensive Back
Height:
5-10
Weight:
200
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
River Rouge, Mich.
High School:
River Rouge H.S.
Previous School:
South Dakota/Iowa
Major:
MSA: Digital Management

CAREER

In five-year, 39-game career at Central Michigan, Iowa, South Dakota, made 188 tackles (136 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss for 22 yards, 26 pass breakups, one sack, and one interception … in two years at Central Michigan, he totaled 93 tackles (65 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 15 pass breakups and 1.0 sack.

2024

As a senior defensive back, saw action in 11 of 12 games with seven starts at cornerback … listed as a starter and backup on the depth chart … earned College Football Network All-MAC honorable mention honors … named a preseason Third Team All-MAC selection by Athlon Magazine and College Football Network … led the team in pass breakups (11), ranked No. 5 on the team in tackles (54), No. 3 in solo tackles (41), totaled 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1.0 sack … ranked No. 3 in the MAC in pass breakups with 11 … made five tackles (four solo) in season finale at Northern Illinois (11/30) … totaled seven tackles (six solo) with two pass breakups vs. Western Michigan (11/19) … finished with five tackles (four solo) with a pass breakup at Toledo (11/12) … finished with a career-high 14 tackles (11 solo) with a career-high three pass breakups vs. Bowling Green (11/5) … made four solo tackles with a pass breakup at Miami (Ohio) (10/26) … totaled two pass breakups and three tackles at Eastern Michigan (10/19) … finished with seven tackles (four solo) and a pass breakup vs. Ohio (10/12) … made four tackles with 0.5 tackles for loss vs. San Diego State (9/28) … totaled three solo tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, and 1.0 sack at Illinois (9/14) … made two tackles in season opener vs. Central Connecticut State (8/29).

2023

As a junior defensive back, saw action in eight games … had six starts at cornerback, including six of the season’s last seven games … ranked No. 8 on the squad in tackles with 39 (24 solo), registered three tackles for loss for 11 yards, broke up four passes, and had a quarterback hurry … made seven tackles (three solo) with 1.0 tackle for loss vs. Toledo (11/24) … registered a career-high nine tackles (four solo) at Ohio (11/15) … made six tackles (four solo), 1.0 tackle for loss at Western Michigan (11/7) … made three solo tackles with a pass breakup vs. Northern Illinois (10/31) … made six tackles (five solo) with 1.0 tackle for loss at Ball State (10/21) … made five tackles with a pass breakup vs. Akron (10/14) … finished with three tackles at Buffalo (10/7) … saw first action at Central Michigan at Notre Dame (9/16).

2022 AT SOUTH DAKOTA

Played in nine of 11 games and was the starting cornerback in seven contests … finished as the team’s seventh-leading tackler with 43 tackles … had seven tackles and scored his first interception as a Coyote in the road game at North Dakota (11/12) … led the team with 10 tackles in the Dakota Days win against No. 14 Southern Illinois (10/22) … totaled 3.0 tackles-for-loss which were sixth-most on the team … credited with four pass breakups which were fourth-most on the team … MVFC honor roll member.

2021 AT SOUTH DAKOTA

Fought back from injury in the season opener to play in eight games and made six consecutive starts at cornerback to end the season … finished as the team’s fifth-leading tackler despite not registering a stop until game six … led the team in tackles in each of his first two games back from injury including 11 stops (nine solo) in a 20-13 win against 13^th-ranked North Dakota (10/9) and 10 tackles in a road win at No. 16 UNI (10/16) … led the Coyotes with eight pass breakups during the year … broke up a pass that was intercepted during South Dakota’s 23-20 win over fourth-ranked South Dakota State (11/13) … totaled 48 tackles including 33 solo stops

2020-21 AT IOWA

As a redshirt freshman, played three games in the fall at the University of Iowa before transferring to South Dakota at the beginning of the second semester ... was not charged a year of eligibility due to NCAA rules related to the pandemic.

2019 AT IOWA

Redshirted his true freshman season at Iowa.

HIGH SCHOOL

A 2019 graduate of River Rouge High School … earned first-team all-state honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior . . . candidate for Mr. Football as a senior . . . named to Downriver Dream Team as a sophomore . . . second-team all-state as a freshman . . . four-year letterman as defensive back and return specialist . . . helped prep team reach state semifinals as a junior . . . prep team posted 18-5 record his last two seasons . . . holds school records for punt returns and kickoff returns in a season . . . career totals include 12 punt return touchdowns and 11 kickoff return touchdowns . . . three interceptions as a senior, with three touchdowns on kickoff returns and four punt return touchdowns . . . recorded four interceptions as a junior, with eight kickoff return touchdowns and five punt return touchdowns . . . rushed for 986 yards as a sophomore, with three punt return touchdowns . . . rushed for 1,183 yards as a freshman … served as team captain as a senior.

PERSONAL

Born Daruan McKinney … parents are Delorah and Demetrius ... studied enterprise leadership at Iowa … pursuing a Master’s degree in Digital Management.