"One Of The Best Ballhawks": Green Bay Packers Xavier McKinney Ranked As Third Best Safety During 2024 NFL Season

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) intercepts a pass against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Bears won the game, 24-22, on a 51-yard field goal as time expired. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney excelled during his first season with the franchise. He showed he was one of the best safeties in the NFL this season.

"One Of The Best Ballhawks": Green Bay Packers Xavier McKinney Ranked As Third Best Safety During 2024 NFL Season — Feb 2, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; AFC tight end Jonnu Smith of the Miami Dolphins (9) carries the ball against NFC free safety Xavier McKinney of the Green Bay Packers (29) during the 2025 Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Some Packers fans believed that he should have been a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. McKinney was not named a finalist for the award, but many Green Bay fans know how important he was for the defense this past season. They hope he will be productive once again for them during the 2025 season and beyond.

Green Bay Packers Safety Xavier McKinney Was Ranked As One Of the Top Safeties On PFF During the 2024 NFL Season

Pro Football Focus created its Top 101 players list for the 2024 season. This was a very interesting list to begin with. A season ago, McKinney was ranked on this list when he was playing for the New York Giants. Pro Football Focus ranked the Packers’ safety at number 56. He is the third-best safety on this list. Pro Football Focus said:

“One year after placing 57th on this list, McKinney moves up one spot to No. 56 after looking like one of the best ballhawks in the league in his first year with the Packers.

The former New York Giant picked off eight passes in 2024, which tied with Kerby Joseph for the most in the NFL. McKinney’s 90.2 coverage grade trailed only Joseph among all safeties as well.”

McKinney this past season recorded 88 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, eight interceptions, and 11 pass deflections. Many Packers fans wondered how the New York Giants didn’t even re-sign him in the first place last offseason. Xavier McKinney is only 26 years old.

Two Detroit Lions Safeties Ranked Ahead Of McKinney On the List

Two Detroit Lions safeties were ranked ahead of Xavier McKinney on this list. Brian Branch was ranked 55th and Kerby Joseph was ranked 19th. Intriguingly, they were both ranked ahead of McKinney this season.

The Lions’ safeties have been very good over the last couple of years. When teams have good safeties, it is a bonus to a defense.