Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee throws in the course of the college’s NFL Professional Day in Stanford, Calif., Wednesday, March 22, 2023. The previous Latter-day Saint missionary is eyeing a profession within the NFL. Godofredo A. Vásquez, Related Press
Elders Tanner McKee, left, and Pedro Cabral, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, trip a bus from Paranaguá to Curitiba, Brazil, as McKee transfers to a brand new space of the mission on Monday, June 3, 2019. Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Elders Tanner McKee and Pedro Cabral, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stroll a slim avenue in Paranaguá, Brazil, on Saturday, June 1, 2019. Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee speaks throughout a information convention on the NFL mix in Indianapolis, Friday, March 3, 2023. Darron Cummings, Related Press
For former Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee, ready for the upcoming NFL draft reminds him of a joyous but nerve-wracking time 5 years in the past, when he was ready to obtain his mission name for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“I’m excited to manage what I can and exit and carry out to the very best of my capacity. The one factor I’m anxious about is having a shot.” — former Stanford QB Tanner McKee
McKee was assigned to the Brazil Curitiba Mission, the place he spent practically two years serving, studying Portuguese and educating the gospel of Jesus Christ to the folks within the largest nation in South America.
Because it seems, his youthful brother, Caden, is anticipating to obtain his mission name within the subsequent few weeks.
“We’re each in the identical spot,” stated Tanner, laughing. “The place we’re going to be for the (upcoming) years, no person is aware of.”
After main the Cardinal soccer program the previous two years, McKee, who turns 23 on April 27, determined to forgo his remaining two seasons of collegiate eligibility to pursue his childhood dream of taking part in within the NFL.
The place McKee will land is anyone’s guess.
Actually, the 6-foot-6, 231-pound junior is an intriguing prospect who has had an unusual journey to this stage of his profession.
One mock draft, in January, had McKee coming off the board with the No. 40 total decide. USA At this time has projected him as a fourth-round choice. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. rated McKee because the No. 10 total QB within the 2023 draft class.
The Sporting Information’ Vinnie Iyer stated McKee is a “traditional, robust, massive pocket passer with system-versatile sensibility.”
The four-star highschool recruit out of Corona, California, (McKee declined scholarship provides from Texas, Alabama and BYU, mother and father’ alma mater, amongst many others) returned dwelling from his mission in the course of the pandemic in 2020 and redshirted that fall at Stanford. He performed in 10 video games in 2021 and 12 video games in 2022.
In two seasons, McKee accomplished 63.2% of his passes and threw for five,336 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions on a Cardinal workforce that struggled and lacked a powerful supporting forged round him. Stanford posted an identical 3-9 information in 2021 and 2022.
“The attraction of McKee is what could possibly be, not what he already has been,” in keeping with Sporting Information.
“By way of McKee, he genuinely looks as if one of many greater mysteries of the draft, as some shops have him considered as a late first whereas others suppose this previous season of labor will see him drop dramatically,” in keeping with Sports activities Illustrated.
What's McKee anticipating for draft weekend?
“I don't know. There are such a lot of opinions from lots of completely different folks they usually fluctuate a lot. I do know that sooner or later my identify will get known as,” McKee advised the Deseret Information. “I’m excited to manage what I can and exit and carry out to the very best of my capacity. The one factor I’m anxious about is having a shot.
“Wherever I'm going, I’m excited to exit and show what I can do on the sphere, within the locker room and being a teammate and a frontrunner. Truthfully, I don't know when or the place I’m going to go. However I’m very excited to make the most of no matter alternative comes.”
Hanging with C.J. Stroud, Jaren Corridor … and John Beck
As a part of his pre-draft preparation, McKee has been figuring out in Southern California with former BYU and NFL quarterback John Beck, who helps run 3DQB, an organization that focuses on elite quarterback coaching.
Different QBs that McKee is coaching with embrace Alabama’s Bryce Younger, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Fresno State’s Jake Haener and BYU’s Jaren Corridor.
“It’s been an ideal expertise getting to satisfy these guys and competing with them,” McKee stated.
Younger and Stroud are anticipated to go early within the first spherical of the draft.
In the meantime, McKee and Corridor have shaped a powerful bond, partly as a result of Corridor can also be a returned missionary, having served within the California, Roseville Mission.
“It’s been nice. We’re each married. We speak about that. He has just a little child so he has extra accountability with that,” McKee stated. “However simply speaking about our missions — he served in Northern California. Stanford wasn’t in his areas however clearly it’s near the place I went to varsity.
“We share completely different experiences. We’ve had actually good conversations about what our wives are going to do after we go to rookie mini-camp, and coaching camp and the way we’re going to work issues out. It’s actually enjoyable to attach on a special stage with someone that’s a returned missionary and married.”
And in Beck, McKee has the best mentor. Beck, who served in Portugal, turned the primary returned missionary to begin a sport at quarterback within the NFL, in 2007, with the Miami Dolphins.
“He’s helped a ton. I’m coaching with 3DQB. He’s been doing our complete pre-draft course of,” McKee stated. “We’ve been assembly with Drew Brees and others. He’s bringing these guys in and we’ve been asking him questions. We’re watching movie, we exit to the sphere and throw. He’ll speak about NFL offenses and issues that a quarterback goes to should do and what’s going to be on our plate within the NFL.”
Elders Tanner McKee, left, and Pedro Cabral, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, trip a bus from Paranaguá to Curitiba, Brazil, as McKee transfers to a brand new space of the mission on Monday, June 3, 2019.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Whereas McKee was on his mission, Beck traveled to Brazil and labored out with McKee and knowledgeable soccer workforce in Brazil, the Curitiba Crocodiles. Beck suggested McKee about learn how to attempt to keep in form throughout his mission.
“He’s been an ideal mentor for me. He’s one thing that I clearly look as much as,” McKee stated about Beck. “He’s very revered by me but additionally by folks within the NFL. That’s a very good software to have.”
Whereas making ready for the draft, McKee has labored laborious on making all types of throws, together with “zipping the ball in smaller home windows. The NFL is a very quick sport, so with the ability to drive the ball off your again foot or with just a little little bit of motion and with the ability to put it proper on the cash (is essential). All people within the NFL is just a little bit quicker, just a little bit greater and just a little bit taller. I’m excited that I’ll should anticipate issues just a little bit extra and elevate my sport.”
The Stanford expertise
Getting into his junior season final fall, McKee knew that if he and his workforce had the sort of 12 months he hoped for, he would possible declare for the draft.
“We didn’t have the report we wished this season,” he stated. Longtime coach David Shaw stepped down in December.
McKee, who had two seasons of eligibility remaining, wanted to determine his future. He had “good conversations” with Shaw and quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard, in addition to brokers and others he trusts.
“Finally, I made the choice that it was greatest for me to depart and to stay out my dream as an NFL soccer participant,” he stated.
McKee beloved his time at Stanford and the excessive expectations — within the classroom and within the soccer program.
“When you’re round lots of people like that and are equally-minded and need to achieve success, it actually permits you to attain your potential,” he stated. “The teaching workers and gamers have been simply unbelievable, how a lot they cared. It was an ideal expertise. Operating a pro-style offense and making completely different calls and shifts and formations, I beloved the entire expertise.”
One in every of his highlights on the sphere was serving to Stanford knock off No. 3 Oregon in additional time in the course of the 2021 season. McKee led a two-minute landing drive that tied the sport after which the game-winning TD drive in additional time.
McKee, an economics main, has three quarters left to graduate.
“I received all my robust lessons out of the best way. The plan is to hopefully after 12-15 of an extended profession, I’ll return and end my diploma,” he stated. “I would sooner or later take lessons on-line. Proper now, my primary focus goes to be soccer. We’ll see what occurs.”
‘Bouncing round’
For the reason that 2022 season ended, McKee has been busy making ready for the draft — collaborating in Stanford’s Professional Day, watching movie, figuring out with Beck and interviewing with numerous groups.
Final week, McKee hung out with the Los Angeles Chargers, then flew out to Minnesota to satisfy with the Vikings, after which went to San Francisco to go to the 49ers.
“I’ve been bouncing round everywhere. It’s good to be again in Southern California and get again right into a groove,” he stated. “It’s good to be settled for a few weeks earlier than the draft.”
McKee stated he has been in touch with “a ton” of NFL groups, together with interviews, personal exercises and film-watching classes and throwing on the sphere. Among the interviews have been carried out through Zoom.
“It’s so completely different as a result of it is sort of a job interview. You need to carry out at the very best of your capacity. You need to do nice in all these interviews,” McKee stated. “I truthfully really feel like Stanford has ready me a lot — coach Shaw, the offense, the verbiage, the checks. I really feel superior. Loads of groups are carbon copies to formations, shifts, protections of what we did at Stanford, which is nice.”
Throughout interviews, McKee’s mission invariably surfaces as a subject.
“Just about each interview, coaches and workers will ask about how my mission has helped put together me and adjusted me,” he stated.
As a child, McKee’s favourite workforce was the San Diego Chargers — now the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I used to be an enormous Chargers fan, simply because it was the closest to dwelling. I used to be an enormous LaDainian Tomlinson fan,” he stated. “I had his jersey. He was my man rising up. My Pop Warner workforce in highschool was the Corona Chargers. In order that sort of additionally made me a Chargers fan.”
McKee is trying ahead to taking part in professionally, wherever that may be.
“It’s been a dream since I used to be just a little child to have the ability to play within the NFL,” he stated. “So to fly out and see the Vikings and speak to John Lynch (basic supervisor of the San Francisco 49ers) and speak to those GMs and head coaches, like Brandon Staley of the Chargers, it’s superior to have that have. It’s been nice. It’s been actually busy however I do know this time is short-lived and I’m simply attempting to take all of it in proper now.”
‘Essentially the most Brazilian quarterback within the draft’
As a result of McKee lived for practically two years in Brazil, that nation — or, no less than, an NFL Brazil social media account — is claiming him as one among its personal.
A current submit by that account featured a photograph of McKee as a missionary, draped in a Brazilian flag, subsequent to a photograph of him taking part in at Stanford. The submit, headlined, “Essentially the most Brazilian quarterback within the draft,” stated McKee was born and raised in the USA however he has a reference to Brazil as a result of he served a non secular mission there.
Elders Tanner McKee and Pedro Cabral, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stroll a slim avenue in Paranaguá, Brazil, on Saturday, June 1, 2019.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
“The account has a couple of hundred thousand followers,” McKee stated. “They talked about my expertise in Brazil and my mission. The Crocodiles talked about going to follow with me. I’ve saved in touch with lots of these guys. They’ve reached out to me and I’ve reached out to them. They received the championship in 2022. It’s enjoyable to maintain in touch with these guys. They sustain with my journey. It’s been nice.
“I really feel like folks can understand what’s essential to me — I put all the pieces apart for a few years to attempt to put Heavenly Father first,” he added. “I had 1,000 Brazilians observe me the day they posted that. Folks have been placing Brazilian flags on my posts. It’s enjoyable to scroll via and see a whole lot of individuals — some I did know, some I didn’t know — posting Brazilian flags and wishing me luck and saying, ‘We’ll be watching you.’ It’s enjoyable to have that following and impression on folks.”
McKee is trying ahead to representing his religion, and Brazil, throughout his taking part in profession — and past.
“Lots of people ask me what I need to do after soccer. I actually don’t know. However I might love to assist soccer develop in Brazil,” he stated. “I communicate the language and I need to be across the sport extra. I feel it might be actually attention-grabbing to see how I might assist the NFL, or soccer typically, develop in Brazil. That’s undoubtedly one thing I’ve thought of. Hopefully, 10-15 years down the street from now. It could be actually attention-grabbing.”
Draft weekend
McKee is spending NFL draft weekend in Corona together with his spouse and prolonged household. He’s planning on watching the draft and passing the time by taking part in video games like Spikeball.
“I need to watch the draft to assist the blokes we all know like C.J. and Bryce, the blokes I’ve been coaching with. They’re going to be taken very early. Will probably be enjoyable to see them and assist them,” he stated. “I’m excited as a result of there are such a lot of guys that you simply get to know all through the method, both rising up or simply coaching within the pre-draft course of. Will probably be actually enjoyable to see a bunch of my buddies get their names known as.”
McKee, one of many greatest mysteries of this NFL draft, can’t wait to realize his goals by listening to his identify known as — and embarking on the following chapter of his unusual journey.
Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee speaks throughout a information convention on the NFL mix in Indianapolis, Friday, March 3, 2023.
Darron Cummings, Related Press