Report: Former Vol McKenzie Joins Seahawks

Former Volunteer Khalil McKenzie has signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

A former Vol has found a new home in the NFL. Former Volunteer defensive lineman Khalil McKenzie has signed today with the Seattle Seahawks as an offensive guard. McKenzie, while playing his entire career in Knoxville on the defensive line, has played his entire professional career along the offensive front, initially with the Kansas City Chiefs, then as a practice squad player with the Seahawks, before most recently joining the short-lived revival of the XFL. McKenzie will join the Seahawks and fight for a roster spot coming off of a stint on injured reserve in the XFL.

The Seahawks have signed OL Kahlil McKenzie, the son of former Raiders GM and current Dolphins exec Reggie McKenzie, who most recently spent time in the XFL. Kahlil McKenzie also spent time with Seattle in 2019.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 20, 2020

McKenzie arrived at Tennessee as a five-star prospect and one of the jewels of the 2015 signing class. He was also a Tennessee legacy, son of former Volunteer and current Dolphins executive Reggie McKenzie. At 6’3” 320 pounds, McKenzie figured to arrive and plug into the middle of the defensive line for Tennessee. He was massive and strong, and sliding into the center of a defensive line unit that was loaded with elite talent. McKenzie joining the interior rotation was one of the reasons Tennessee felt confident the defensive line would be the strength of the team. McKenzie arrived at Tennessee trying to get back into shape after a serious injury in high school, and his production as a freshman never quite lived up to his rating. Being hampered by injuries and never living up to the lofty expectations brought by his high school ranking became what McKenzie was remembered for at Tennessee. After Butch Jones was fired, McKenzie surprised many by declaring early for the NFL Draft, rather than spend a season with Jeremy Pruitt, where he figured to be an ideal candidate for the nose tackle job in Pruitt's 3-4 scheme.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, McKenzie continued to surprise, and was drafted in the 6th Round by the Kansas City Chiefs. It was shortly after drafting him that the Chiefs announced their intent to move McKenzie to guard, a move that had been discussed during his time at Tennessee, and the position Pruitt had worked McKenzie out at. McKenzie spent the 2018 season with the Chiefs before being released prior to the 2019 season. McKenzie then signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a practice squad player, and remained with Seattle for the 2019 season. At the end of the 2019 season, McKenzie was released, and moved on to the XFL. The league was promising, but short lived, badly hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic amidst the first season. The new contract with Seattle is the start of McKenzie's second stint with the Seahawks, where he figures to fight for a roster spot and continue his NFL career.