He did not have the opportunity to show his abilities at the NFL Scouting Combine, but Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry blew everyone away with his 4.46 40-time at Alabama’s Pro Day.
The talented cornerback was consistent in his three years with the Crimson Tide. McKinstry, a Birmingham (Ala.) native, recorded 22 career pass breakups — including a team-high 15 in 2022. He was a two-time first-team All-SEC (2022, 2023) and first-team All-American in 2023. The former five-star does not have elite speed, but he makes up for it with excellent technique.
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Aaron Taylor, a college football analyst for CBS Sports, said McKinstry is the ‘next great NFL cornerback’ of the Saban era.
“You look at the defensive ends and the cornerbacks Nick Saban’s turned out year after year after year. And Kool-Aid McKinstry’s gonna be the next great one.”
—@AaronTaylorCFB on the @AlabamaFTBL CB pic.twitter.com/ve1mfTfRbf
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) April 17, 2024
“He is a pure coverage cornerback,” Taylor said about McKinstry. “He excels in man-to-man coverage, gets into that hip pocket, a wide receiver’s job is to fog the mirror of the defensive back. It is the job of a defensive back to mirror him. So his footwork is outstanding. He has that ability to slide and glide to be able to recover. He does not have great top-end speed so he has to be savvy, but when he gets beat he can accelerate to get himself back into position. You love what he brings to the table.”
Taylor said McKinstry will have to watch how often he tugs on a receiver’s jersey, but he loves his skill set.
McKinstry projects as a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
