Merrimack Defensive Back Darion McKenzie Makes Senior Bowl Watchlist

NORTH ANDOVER, MA —Merrimack College defensive back Darion McKenzie was named to the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl Watchlist on Wednesday.

McKenzie, a graduate student from Berlin, Maryland, also was named to the Reese's Senior Bowl Watchlist ahead of last season.

This year's list, according to Senior Bowl representatives, was compiled by a scouting team that identified the "best of the best" draft prospects at every level of college football for the 2023 NFL Draft.

There are 484 position players on the list, a percentage of whom actually will be selected to play in the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl All-Star game, which is scheduled for Feb. 4, in Mobile, Alabama.

McKenzie is one of just two players from the Northeast Conference to make this year's list.

Now entering his fifth playing season at Merrimack, McKenzie played in all 11 games for the Warriors in 2021, leading the team with nine pass breakups.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder also finished sixth on the team with 34 tackles and he forced a fumble in an Oct. 30 game against Central Connecticut.

McKenzie also returned kickoffs for the Warriors last fall, returning 10 kicks for a total of 307 yards, for an average of 30.60 yards per return. His longest return of the season was 67 yards.

The Warriors went 5-6 in 2021, including a 2-5 record in the NEC.

Merrimack is scheduled to open the 2022 season on Friday, Sept. 2. at Duane Stadium against Holy Cross, which is ranked No. 16 in a preseason Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) poll.