Hall of Fame
Position: Offensive Tackle
Years: 2000-01
Place of Birth: Woodbury, NJ
Date of Birth: September 23, 1979
Jersey Number: 78
Height: 6-8
Weight: 352
High School: Woodbury (NJ)
At 6-foot-8 and more than 350 pounds, Bryant McKinnie overpowered and dominated his opponents, never allowing a single sack during his entire college career and helping the 2001 Miami Hurricanes claim the national title. The Woodbury, New Jersey, native becomes the ninth Hurricane player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame, joining his teammates Dan Morgan and Ed Reed who have previously been inducted.
A unanimous First Team All-American in 2001, McKinnie claimed the 2001 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation, and he was named the National Player of the Year by CNNSI.com while finishing eighth in 2001 Heisman Trophy voting.
The Canes went to 23-1 during his time in Coral Gables, and the team notched back-to-back postseason wins, beating Florida, 37-20, in the 2001 Sugar Bowl and claiming the national title with a 37-14 victory over Nebraska in the 2002 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl. Miami finished no lower than No. 2 nationally in his two seasons with the Canes, and McKinnie played a key role on an offensive unit that ranked No. 2 in 2000 and No. 3 in 2001 nationally in total offense. In 2001, McKinnie anchored an offensive line that averaged 5.3 yards per rushing attempt and 43.2 points per game on the way to an undefeated season and the national title.
McKinnie blocked for back-to-back 1,000-yard rushers and protected his Maxwell Award-winning QB Ken Dorsey, who threw for 2,737 yards in 2000 and 2,652 yards in 2001. His hallmark performance came when he dominated in Miami's 59-0 victory against Syracuse in 2001, never allowing a QB sack during 52 plays. In 2000, he had another signature game versus archrival Florida State, shutting down FSU's highly acclaimed defense in the Canes' 27-24 victory.
A two-time First Team All-Big East selection, McKinnie led the Canes to two Big East titles (2000, 2001) and a perfect 14-0 conference record during his career. He was named 2001 Big East Player of the Year by The Football News, and he helped the Canes lead the conference in passing yards and total offense both years.
Selected seventh overall by Minnesota in the 2002 NFL Draft, McKinnie played for the Vikings (2002-10), Ravens (2011-13) and Dolphins (2013). He was a 2009 Pro Bowl selection, and he helped Baltimore win Super Bowl XLVII.
Bryant graduated summa cum laude from Miami with a degree in psychology in 2002, and he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He is small business owner and local media contributor. He established the B Major Foundation to provide financial, educational and social resources to single-parent households and to promote AIDS awareness among youths.
