McKinnon, a native of Elba, Ala., was a four-year starter on Lion football teams from 1992-95 and is one of the most honored athletes in college football history. A four-time, first-team All-GSC selection, McKinnon is one of just a handful of  three-time consensus All-Americans in NCAA Division II history. He was selected the winner of the 1995 Harlon Hill Trophy as NCAA Division II National Player of the Year, becoming the first - and so far only -  defensive player to win the award. He helped lead UNA to  a combined 48-5-1 record that included three straight GSC championships and three straight  NCAA Division II National Championships. He closed his career as the leading tackler in school and GSC history with  621 total stops and 407 primary stops. He had 29 career tackles for loss, seven sacks, 11 interceptions and recovered five fumbles. As a senior he had 139 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four interceptions and four sacks.

He was named to the Gulf South Conference "Team of the Quarter Century" for 1971-95, was selected  the "GSC Defensive Player of the Quarter Century" for 1971-95 and was named to the NCAA Division II "Team of the Quarter Century" for 1973-97. He was selected for the 50th Anniversary UNA Football Team  for 1949-98, the Gulf South Conference Team of the 1990s and was  named Alabama Sports Writers Association State Professional Athlete of the Year for 1998. He signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League following his senior season and spent the next 10 seasons in professional football. McKinnon played in 157 NFL games, spending nine seasons with the Cardinals and one with the New Orleans Saints. He finished his professional career with more than 1,000 tackles, 12 sacks and 10 pass interceptions. He now resides in Bessemer, Ala., and he and his wife LaShandra have three daughters.