To make sure the Kool-Aid man busted through the doors of the Caesars Superdome, the New Orleans Saints traded up in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Saints sent the 45th, 168th and 190th picks to the Green Bay Packers to move up to the No. 41 pick, which they then used on Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry.
In McKinstry, the Saints landed a player who fits their usual mold in the defensive backfield. Though McKinstry does not possess overwhelming size (5-foot-11, 199 pounds), he is a long, athletic technician on the outside who plays with a fearless streak.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 a really good player,鈥� said Saints coach Dennis Allen. 鈥淗ighly intelligent, highly instinctual, 鈥� has shown the ability to play press coverage. He can play outside, we feel like he can go inside and play the nickel, so there鈥檚 some versatility that he can play with.
"We really like the player and felt like getting him at that value was the right place to get him.鈥�
Although Alabama coach Nick Saban is famous for fitting his defense to his opponents 鈥� showing zone-heavy looks one week only to play predominant man coverage the next 鈥� McKinstry estimated he鈥檇 played more press-man coverage than any corner in college football his last two seasons.
That is likely something the Saints will ask him to do as well, and McKinstry has no problem with that.
鈥淚t鈥檚 want to,鈥� McKinstry said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I love and that鈥檚 why I want to do it all the time.鈥�
Before he arrived at Alabama, McKinstry was one of the most highly regarded recruits in his class, a five-star recruit who many considered the No. 1 corner. He earned a role right away, but he blossomed into a productive starter during his final two seasons.
McKinstry appeared in 42 games during his three years with the Crimson Tide, starting 27 games in his final two seasons. During his career, he intercepted only two passes, but he routinely made plays on the ball, breaking up 25 passes.
His consistent play earned him All-American honors each of his final two seasons. And McKinstry may have a good explanation for why he finished his college career with only two interceptions.
鈥淎t cornerback, it鈥檚 a position that everyone can see a mess up,鈥� McKinstry said. 鈥淪o I play the game the right way, I play the position the right way. I don鈥檛 gamble unless I know I can make the play. I feel like that鈥檚 the way the game is supposed to be played. Sometimes you can gamble and it looks good; sometimes you can gamble and it鈥檚 going the other way.
鈥淐ornerback is one of those positions that even someone who has never seen a football game 鈥� a grandmother that has never seen football 鈥� she knows when a cornerback has messed up. That鈥檚 why I play the game the right way, I play cornerback the right way, because I don鈥檛 want to be that guy.鈥�
He joins a Saints defensive backfield that is loaded with high draft choices. Marshon Lattimore (No. 11 overall), Paulson Adebo (No. 76) and Alontae Taylor (No. 49) made up the starting secondary for Week 1 last season.
Although Lattimore has been linked to trade rumors since the Saints restructured his contract last year, the Saints also could just be adding to a position of strength. Last season, they finished with the NFL鈥檚 No. 10 pass defense while finishing No. 1 in passes defended (99) and tied for third in interceptions (18).
鈥淭he Saints have a very special defense, so I鈥檓 ready to be a part of that and add what I can and contribute how I can to the defense and to the team,鈥� McKinstry said.
And he鈥檚 looking forward to playing in his new home stadium. The last time he appeared in the Superdome, in the Sugar Bowl against Kansas State after the 2022 season, McKinstry broke up three passes.
鈥淟ast time I played in the Superdome, I went off,鈥� he said. 鈥�... So be ready to continue that.鈥�