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| Photo by Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations |
A native of Kansas City, MO, Brandon Kinnie arrived at Nebraska in 2008 as a sophomore from Fort Scott Community College. During Kinnie’s first season with the Huskers, the wide receiver had an impressive 15 catches for 141 yards. Kinnie’s stats only got better as a junior, adding another 44 receptions for 494 yards, with three touchdown catches alone against Oklahoma State.
Entering his senior season, Kinnie led the group of young wide-outs and to date has logged 22 catches for 257 yards and one touchdown. While his statistics are strong, it won’t be what Kinnie is remembered for at Nebraska. Fans, teammates, and coaches will remember a strong leader who fought hard through adversity to become a better player and person. In fact, fellow wide receiver Kenny Bell summed Kinnie up in a simple, yet poignant, way: “BK’s a thermostat. He’s not a thermometer.”
Brandon takes the time to catch up with Who’s Next Football..
WNF: If you had to pinpoint the strongest aspect of your game, what would it be?
BK: I would probably have to say my blocking skills and being physical on the field. I pride myself with being a great down field blocker. Catching the football comes with being a wide receiver and I feel I do that extremely well too. However, If I had to choose one biggest strength it would be my all around blocking skills.
WNF: What is one area of your game would you say most needs improvement?
BK: I think focusing better really. Make sure I look the ball into my hands with every catch, mentally preparing for the game, really focus on the mental aspect of the game and envisioning what I can do to be the best I can be.
WNF: What was the biggest difference between Big 12 and Big Ten play?
BK: To be honest, I didn't really notice a difference. I just love playing the game of football and it didn't matter who I was out there against.
WNF: If you had to pick one NFL player that you think you closely resemble, who would it be?
BK: I always liked how physical Terrell Owens played and how he used his size to his advantage. I would not resemble myself to his attitude and how he acted with his team but more how he played with a sense of physicality.
WNF: Tell us about your son Julian, and what he has taught you about life in general?
BK: First, he taught me to be humble. Taught me that everything is not about me. I got someone else to look after now and I love it. He has taught me so much about myself that I hadn't discovered before. It was truly a blessing to have him, best thing to ever happen to me.
WNF: If I was an NFL GM, why do I want Brandon Kinnie on my team?
BK: Well first, I am a great teammate, fun to be around, and my work ethic is crazy. I want to be the best at what I do and will do whatever I can to be just that.
BK: I'll miss being around my teammates, joking around with them, and traveling with them. I learned so much about myself senior year. I will miss the fans and everyone that supported me as well.
WNF: How would you like to be remembered by the University of Nebraska?
BK: A leader, outgoing, funny, and overall good guy who gave everything he had.
Quick Hits:
Favorite Food: Fried Chicken
Interview Conducted by @NFLDraftinsider and edited/written by @HelloErinMarie.
As of today, there still has been no official rejection by the St. Louis CVC of the Rams' (purportedly) $700 million Edward Jones Dome renovation plan. That plan won out in arbitration three weeks ago as the only way to upgrade the Dome into a first-tier facility under terms of the current lease. The delay in action may not be on the CVC, which has stated they're waiting for the Rams to give an official go-ahead. Supposedly, the plan can't be rejected till that happens. (It also hasn't helped clear things up that at least three different deadlines for rejecting the plan have been reported. The CVC may have had 30 days, 60 days or till "mid-April".)
The CVC has made a big move seemingly aimed at preventing that; Mom (they're Mom, because in divorces, Mom always seems to get the house) locked up the best divorce lawyer in town, figuratively speaking. They have retained Goldman Sachs to "keep the Rams in the Dome, or, if that's not possible, to maintain a National League Football (sic) team in St. Louis."
Stan's input is going to be needed at some point, obviously. Local news has pointed out that Kroenke paid for the Pepsi Center in Denver, which houses "his" NBA and NHL teams, in its entirety, and he's also the full owner of The Emirates stadium, the home of his Arsenal soccer team in London. It would be completely disingenuous of him to expect to pick up none of the bill for a new stadium. Though I'm personally fairly suspicious of the viability of the state of Minnesota's fundraising plans, (do Minnesotans really gamble billions of dollars on pulltabs?) Ziggy Wilf is basically splitting the cost of the Vikings' new stadium 50/50 with them and the city of Minneapolis. 
* Bye. "The Rams have a number of free agents [we] would like to keep, and [this player] is one of them." Who was Jeff Fisher talking about? The correct answer: Brandon Lloyd, last February. Fisher used almost the exact words describing the Rams' situation with Lloyd as he has to describe this year's situation with Danny Amendola (and Steven Jackson, too, actually). The comparisons with Lloyd don't stop there. Rams GM Les Snead has already announced the Rams won't franchise Amendola. They wouldn't franchise Lloyd last year, despite his outsized value among the receivers on that year's roster. 30 years old at the time, Lloyd wouldn't have been the right player in whom to make a franchise-player-sized investment. Amendola's just 27, but he's also missed 20 games the past two seasons. RamView believes Danny is an elite slot receiver who would have had a 100-catch season by now if he'd stayed healthy. But I wasn't ready to give him franchise-player money when I thought the Rams had salary cap space. Knowing now that they don't, and seeing how everything's lining up just about the same way it did with Lloyd last year, I don't expect to see Danny back with the Rams next year. He can get more money from a lot of other teams than the Rams will be willing and able to give him. Danny's one of the Rams' best, and most popular, players; I hope there's a way to work this out that I'm not seeing. But the trends are pointing the other way.
In player moves: