McKenzie’s Big Moment Was Backed by Steady Growth
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - April 12, 2026
One play earned UAB’s Anta’Veon McKenzie the spotlight during Saturday’s scrimmage at Legacy Pavilion. But it’s his overall play that helped the Sacramento State transfer move to the top of the depth chart, at least for now, at the nickel position.
“One, I think he's a really good athlete,” Mortensen said. “I think he, you know, just top to bottom - acceleration, change of direction, top speed, all those things. And then also, right there, you see he's got really good ball skills.”
Those ball skills were certainly evident in the one-handed interception that McKenzie hauled in while covering a receiving down the middle. McKenzie said it was the first time he remembers making a one-handed catch.
Ike Esonwune, who lines up nearby at inside linebacker, was impressed but not surprised that McKenzie made the spectacular play.
“Just to start off with, I feel like Anta is just an amazing player to begin with,” Esonwune said. “He always talks to me about things that he can do just to just be more in the game that we're playing. I feel like he's been very disciplined. He came up with an amazing catch. Me and him talk about it every night. He's one of my roommates. One of my neighbors, actually. So we talk about how he just wants to make more plays and then God was blessing with that catch right there.”
While the interception was all McKenzie’s ability, Esonwune just might deserve an assist for helping McKenzie’s progress in camp. Esonwune not only played in Todd Grantham’s defensive system but he spent some time lining up at nickel.
“I feel like just knowing the coverage that you're in,” Esonwune said of the challenges playing the nickel spot in this defense. “And knowing the type of leverage that you got to play, knowing where your help is and knowing if you've got to push, knowing if you've got to be manned on somebody, just knowing that you're playing to the right leverage and knowing if you're in the fit or not. I feel like with every coverage that we have, you have a different type of leverage that you have to play, whether you're in the run or whether you're in coverage.”
Obviously, McKenzie learns on the field this spring and in the meeting room from the time he stepped on campus. But he also learns during conversations with Esonwune when they are at home.
“He helped me a lot,” McKenzie said. “What's crazy is Ike comes over to my room a lot and we watch NFL tape. We watch nickels and 49er players and we just watch a lot of that football tape together. He helped me a lot. He tells me how to play this, how to play that, what he would do. I'm thankful for that.”
It’s also helpful that McKenzie came into this spring with college football experience. The Stockton, Calif. native had 99 tackles in 29 games over three seasons at Sacramento. In 2023, he looked to be headed to a redshirt season as a true freshman but was needed to step in during the NCAA FCS playoffs. He responded with seven tackles in games against North Dakota and South Dakota.
When last season ended, McKenzie began looking for a new home. Former Sacramento State teammate Ricky Lee III, who began his college career at UAB, was part of the recruiting process.
“He told me I enjoyed it at UAB,” McKenzie said. “He told me I’d like it out here and I'm loving it. I feel like it's second home for sure.”