Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney was not quite as stellar in 2025 as during the year prior, when he made First Team All-Pro, was selected to the Pro Bowl, and finished second in the league with eight interceptions. Still, he remains in the top tier at his position.

Even in a “down year,” he managed to make Second Team All-Pro. According to McKinney’s Pro Football Focus profile, he earned an overall grade of 81.3, good for eighth out of 98 at his position. Sure, that’s a small step down from his No. 2 PFF rank coming into the season, but his body of work still earned him a solid placement in the system’s top 101 rankings for the 2025 campaign.

McKinney is still an All-Pro weapon at the safety position

Clocking in at No. 66 overall, one of three Packers on the list alongside quarterback Jordan Love and defensive end Micah Parsons, McKinney was the fifth-ranked safety in PFF’s top 101. There, PFF lists his season grade at 77.4, ranking ninth. Tomato, tom-ah-to, that’s still a high-level player.

“McKinney remains one of the best defensive backs in football, even though his interception total dipped in 2025. He pulled in only two picks, but his nine pass breakups were tied for the second most at the position. His 77.4 PFF overall grade ranked ninth among safeties in 2025.”

Ahead of him in the rankings are Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton (No. 9), PFF’s top-ranked safety in the preseason; Jacksonville’s Antonio Johnson; the Chargers’ Derwin James; and Houston’s Jalen Pitre.

Despite the low interception total, McKinney’s effectiveness comes through in other areas: pass breakups and passer rating allowed, for example. Opposing quarterbacks posted a PFF passer rating of 60.1 targeting McKinney last season, ninth-lowest among safeties. His 107 tackles (per Football Reference) were second-most in his career. He previously had 116 in 2023 with the Giants. According to PFF, McKinney’s five missed tackles ranked 11th-fewest.