Drafted By: New Orleans Saints
Height: 5’ 11 ½”
Weight: 199
Arm Length: 32
40-Yard Dash: N/A
10-Yard Split: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Vertical: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Pros
- Great height, weight, and length to match up against bigger receivers.
- Physicality, footwork, and speed allow him to be sticky in press man.
- Maintains good leverage and eyes when in bail technique.
- Plenty of experience playing against premier teams.
- Is a more than capable punt returner.
Cons
- Will sometimes peek back too soon in man.
- Needs to wrap up when tackling.
- Can be late to react in zone.
- Doesn’t drive downhill against the run.
Notes
- First-team All-American in 2023 by the Associated Press.
- First-team All-SEC in 2023.
- First-team All-American in 2022 by PFF.
Overview
Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry has been a standout for Nick Saban’s team since he stepped foot on campus. A starter as a true freshman for the Crimson Tide, McKinstry has been one of college football’s best cornerbacks over the past three years.
For starters, McKinstry has the height, weight, and length to match up with just about any NFL wideout regardless of size. Fortunately for whichever team drafts McKinstry, the Alabama product recognizes this is a strong suit of his. In press man especially, McKinstry’s physicality, footwork, and speed were often too much for wide receivers to overcome. Furthermore, McKinstry maintains good leverage and disciplined eyes when playing in a bail technique. And to add more to his game, McKinstry is a threat on special teams as a punt returner.
Despite how good he is as a cover man, McKinstry tends to peak back too early in man coverage. While most corners have difficulty getting their heads turned in general leading to pass interference calls, McKinstry turns his head too early making him susceptible to double moves. Even more, McKinstry needs to improve against the run. While he’ll come forward to make a play on the ball, he doesn’t drive downhill to set a firm edge. Furthermore, he also needs to wrap up when making tackles. He’s too content with hitting ball carriers with his shoulder alone.
Nonetheless, it can’t be denied that McKinstry has been one of the best corners in college football recently. He might not be a first-round selection come April, but maybe he should be.
My Two Cents
As with many other cornerbacks who’ll fall to being second-round picks, it isn’t because they aren’t good enough to be selected in the first round. Rather, it’s because there are that many productive cornerbacks in this year’s class. Kool-Aid McKinstry is one of these cornerbacks. He may be selected on Day 2, but he’s more than capable of immediately contributing once drafted.
Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
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