Could the best name in the 2024 NFL Draft find his way to Pittsburgh?
Approaching the 2024 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry remains one of the least talked about, but highly likely first-round options for the Steelers in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The basics on Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
- Postion: Cornerback
- Class: Junior (Alabama)
- Size: 5’11, 199 pounds
- Age: 21 years old
- Projected draft round: Round 1
Defense stats via Sports Reference
Kool-Aid McKinstry scouting report
Alabama corner Kool-Aid McKinstry plays an aggressive, sticky brand of man coverage that should be immediately appealing to any NFL franchise looking for help on the boundary. He’s a strong, physical presence in coverage with good size who bullies receivers towards the sideline, but still has the baseline athleticism to keep up (boundary cornerback, No. 1 in all clips).
Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry is aggressive and sticky in coverage. Will be a great, physical NFL boundary CB if he doesn’t draw too many flags pic.twitter.com/TysDWDjIFR
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
It should be immediately obvious in the play above, but McKinstry’s style of play often walks the line between legal and flag-worthy. Later in that same game against Texas, he had back-to-back plays that resulted in penalties at the end of the first half.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
But unlike most corners with a penchant for flags, McKinstry’s ball skills are far from terrible. In zone coverage, he’s hyper aware of the quarterback’s eyes with great drive on the ball. Man coverage is his specialty, but McKinstry is still a smooth, starting-caliber defender when he’s put in zone.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
Those talents show up in man coverage as well. McKinstry accelerates in a hurry when the ball is in the air. However, his go-to move continues to be an aggressive bat of the football instead of an attempt to pick it off. McKinstry is a pass deflection machine but not a ball hawk, with only two career college interceptions.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
McKinstry’s athleticism is the main reason why he isn’t a projected top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. It’s certainly up to par of a starting-caliber NFL cornerback, but he lacks the top-end agility and speed of a truly elite prospect. But to alleviate any major concerns, here he is covering LSU wideout Malik Nabers, who is considered a top-10 pick, on a downfield route and holding his own, although there is some hand-tugging.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
On an island, McKinstry can struggle with quicker receivers. But he has urgent footwork and works hard to not get beat, eating up created separation and sticking around to make tackles.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
His aggressiveness and lack of top-end change of direction does leave him a little sucseptible to double moves. Here, he gets bailed out thanks to a poor throw, but that won’t happen as often in the NFL.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
The other main issues that often show up in draft profiles about McKinstry are occasional lapses in effort when the play is going away from him, as well as his passable but far from great play in run support. In the games I watched, I thought those concerns were a little overstated — if anything, I was impressed by McKinstry’s tenacity in man coverage.
Against the run, McKinstry gets the job done, but he doesn’t go out of his way to take down runners. I thought the play below against LSU illustrated this well, with McKinstry immediately slowing down once Jayden Daniels was no longer running his way. It’s not a horrible play, but there are certainly prospects who would’ve shown more effort.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
McKinstry doesn’t actively avoid contact, though. He does a good job of funneling runners inside and making tackles near the line of scrimmage.
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 21, 2024
McKinstry has been dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot during the draft cycle, but still managed to run a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at his pro day despite not being 100-percent. He’s not a perfect prospect, but McKinstry has good-to-great tape (I didn’t show many clips from his Georgia game because the offense ran plays away from him) and above-the-line athleticism. In a scheme that maximizes his press-man talents, he’ll be a quality NFL defender for a long time.
Strengths
- Physical — smothering in man coverage
- Excellently-timed plays on the ball
- Smooth, alert in zone coverage
Weaknesses
- Minimal interception production
- Very good, but not quite elite agility and speed
- Run support is capable but not inspiring
What others are saying about Kool-Aid McKinstry
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com
Three-year starter and former five-star prospect with a quirky name and consistent game. McKinstry is patient and well-groomed in matching the outside release and riding the inside release from press. He’s confident to handle business on an island and is able to stay in phase as the route travels vertically. He’s not overly fast but does play with plus acceleration to close out crossing routes or make aggressive plays on the catch point. As with most college corners, McKinstry will need to transition some of his open-field hand usage into quality footwork to avoid downfield penalties. He’s more aggressive in coverage than he is as a tackler and could find himself forced to prove his toughness in that area. McKinstry is more of a pure cover man than a playmaker, but his poise, intelligence and athleticism should lead him toward becoming a good outside corner with scheme versatility.
Chris Pflum of Big Blue View
McKinstry projects as a starting outside cornerback in the NFL, with the versatility to play in most defenses. He has the athletic traits to play in man coverage schemes as well as the communication skills, discipline, and closing speed necessary to play in zone schemes… McKinstry isn’t a truly “elite” athlete, though he’s close, and might not have the upside to be a true “shutdown” or “number one” corner for an aggressive defense… Coaches will likely want to see McKinstry play with more fire and aggression on the back side of plays, but he’s certainly willing and aggressive when the ball comes his way.
Dillon Appleman of Big Cat Country
Kool-Aid McKinstry has a similar style and build to cornerback A.J. Terrell… Both McKinstry and Terrell possess long arms that make them pesky in press coverage, but their lack of elite athleticism can show up when playing off. However, they do a good job of masking their athletic limitations with superior on-field intelligence, and discipline.
Kool-Aid McKinstry’s fit with the Steelers
McKinstry’s athletic profile may not be quite as impressive as you’d hope for a former five-star recruit, but he’s still more than capable of being an elite NFL CB2 on the boundary, with some real CB1 potential. That would be the exact role the Steelers would be hoping McKinstry could fill alongside Joey Porter Jr. in the Pittsburgh secondary.
In fact, McKinstry profiles very similarly to Porter Jr. in many ways, as a long-armed, physical press-man corner with some penalty issues and good-not-great athleticism. Both even lacked interception numbers in college. Despite not having an official visit with the Steelers like Porter Jr., McKinstry did have a pro day dinner with the team’s brass.
The Steelers could have better options than McKinstry at pick No. 20 — especially on the offensive line — but depending on how the board falls, he could be a strong selection for the team. Paired with Porter Jr., McKinstry would help the Steelers establish a physical, tone-setting secondary that could be one of the best in the NFL.
TL;DR — Kool-Aid McKinstry’s brand of physical, press-man coverage is among the best in this year’s draft class. His aggressive style of play and lack of elite athleticism can be an issue, but he projects as one of the league’s best CB2s if he lands in the right system.
What are your thoughts on Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!