McKenzie Makes Impact On & Off Field

There’s little doubt D'Angelo Mckenzie‍ possesses the physical traits to be a standout safety at a high level in college.

Adam Tafralis, the Owner/President of DM Athletix and Director of Human Performance at Valley

Christian School, sees that clearly.

“I’d say he’s very comparable to Kam Chancellor,” Tafralis said of the 2018 California defensive back.

Tafralis has told college coaches who have come through Valley Christian that McKenzie reminds him of the standout safety for the Seattle Seahawks.

“He’s a rolldown safety who is going to knock your head off,” Tafralis added. “He’s not the biggest kid in the world. He’s a good-sized kid, but I think he’s 188 pounds, maybe less than that. He hits you with everything and he does a really good job of talking on defense so people understand what their roles are. He’s a very mature football player.”

According to Tafralis, McKenzie gets the most out of his body by always remaining in control and working as hard as he can away from the field.

“Even though those guys are hitting people at such a high rate, he’s never out of control,” the coach said. “He’s hitting you square. That’s why he stays healthy.

“He works out very, very hard. We lift and run throughout the entire season and offseason. He’s devoted to doing that, even though he’s in track and we do 7-on-7 and all of those other things. He understands that part of staying healthy is staying in the routine. In-season training is really, really big.”

McKenzie is the kind of player who can be spotted hang-cleaning and squatting before practice, which only enhances the God-given ability that has made him an excellent sprinter and hurdler.

“It’s hard to be a hurdler and he does it very easily,” Tafralis said. “To take a fast-twitch sport like track and convert that, you see that this guy is different.”

But it’s what McKenzie possesses as a person that makes him special, according to Tafralis, who pointed to a different Seahawk to illustrate his point.

“It’s like a Russell Wilson,” said Tafralis, who is also an Elite 11 head coach.

McKenzie has had to face his share of challenges growing up, but they’ve served more as motivation than obstacles.

“He comes from not the easiest background,” Tafralis said. “He’s not one of those tough-life kids who is going to be tough right back to you. You’d have no idea what his struggles are. He doesn’t wear it like it’s a hindrance.

“He views everything as a great opportunity. He’s always got a great smile on his face. He’s super-positive. He’s willing. He’s always willing, what do you need him to do? He’s very respectful. He’s just a happy kid.”

McKenzie’s best friends on the Valley Christian team are twin brothers who have had very different life experiences so far.

“They walk around like they’re brothers,” Tafralis said. “They have nothing in common athletically, but they have everything in common when it comes to their devotion to the team, their faith in God and they’re all very bright kids.

“All three of them are kids who care about their grades, they’re good around campus. Somebody like a D’Angelo can easily be the cool kid or the tough guy on a high school campus, not by any means.”

Tafralis has no doubt McKenzie’s prowess off the field has been noticed.

“That’s why Notre Dame offers a guy like that, because his character is outstanding,” the coach said.

McKenzie has offers from schools like UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah among others, but the Irish offer was always one that was going to be meaningful for him.

“You don’t get an offer from Notre Dame without taking it serious,” Tafralis said. “I know from talking to Coach (Brian) Polian that he and D’Angelo had a very good conversation about, ‘If I offer you, I want to make sure you take this seriously.’ They’re definitely doing their due diligence, which is great to see.”

McKenzie named the Irish his leader following a visit to South Bend this summer and is expected to return for an official visit sometime this fall.

“It’s prestigious number one,” Tafralis said of Notre Dame. “It’s the legacy of what Notre Dame is, but it’s also, ‘Does my personality fit with what they’re trying to build?’

“You can go to a lot of schools that say it, but not everybody can live it. D’Angelo talks about this, ‘I want to change my upbringing.’ Going to a place that has an unbelievable network and resources to help you succeed at life beyond football will be really big.”

Wherever he ends up, Tafralis and Valley Christian will miss him, but in typical fashion for McKenzie, he’s already working on filling his own void.

“That’s a big hole to fill, but he’s a huge mentor. Leaving a legacy, we talk about that all of the time. It’s great that you walk away with a ring, but what do you leave. That’s the whole thing. I think these guys are determined to leave something that affects the next four, five, six, seven classes behind them.”