The New Orleans Saints selected Alabama cornerback with the No. 41 overall pick Friday in the NFL Draft, providing another talented option in the secondary.
The pick comes a day after the team selected Oregon State offensive tackle , and there was some thought the Saints might make another pick on offense in the second round.
However, Saints coach loves to collect talented defensive backs, and McKinstry fits the bill for an already gifted mix in the secondary.
Here are five things you should know about McKinstry, who was considered one of the better defensive backs in the SEC.
Kool-Aid McKinstry is more than just a cornerback
Aside from being one of the nation's top cornerbacks at Alabama, McKinstry also saw significant time as a punt returner for the Crimson Tide.
Over the past two seasons, McKinstry returned 35 punts for an average of 11.9 yards per attempt. He did, however, have some ball security issues as a returner during the 2023 season.
Why does McKinstry go by the name of Kool-Aid?
The Alabama defensive back had one of the most in college football the last few seasons, and the cornerback can credit his grandmother for his nickname.
"I came out my mom smiling and my grandmother was right there by the bed, and she said I had a 'Kool-Aid' smile," McKinstry told the SEC Network.
The Kool-Aid Man, who has long been a part of pop culture in the U.S., is known for his permanent grin.Â
Kool-Aid McKinstry was heavily recruited out of high school
Considered by most outlets to be the No. 1 cornerback in the 2021 recruiting class, McKinstry was rated a five-star prospect by 247Sport at Pinson Valley in Birmingham. He was rated the No. 23 overall player in the Class of 2021, giving Nick Saban another hotshot recruit at defensive back.
Saints fans! Get to know CB Kool-Aid McKinstry from Alabama
— Hunter McCann (@mccann_hunter)
Kool-Aid McKinstry brings ideal size at cornerback
At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, McKinstry has prototypical size for an NFL cornerback. Even though he's a bigger cornerback, he doesn't lack speed with a 40-yard dash of 4.47 seconds at Alabama's Pro Day. McKinstry has a vertical jump of 34 feet, 5 inches.
Kool-Aid McKinstry was highly-rated entering the NFL Draft
The Saints waited until the second round of the draft to pick McKinstry, but it feels like the team is getting first-round quality in the Alabama product. The First-Team All-American was projected by plenty of experts to be taken in the first round. Ian Cummings of the Pro Football Network described McKinstry as