It’s hard to fall in love with a player this early on, but it managed to happen with Kool-Aid McKinstry. Kool-Aid is getting little attention in a draft with mostly offensive players at the top. Not only is his name awesome, but he’s consistently been as close as you can get to lockdown in the SEC. I’ve yet to watch more than one 2023 all-22 game on him, but I loved what I saw in that game. His stats also back up his top-ten pedigree, and his 2022 film impressed me. As of November, Kool-Aid might be the best defensive prospect this year. In this article, we’ll explain why that is and go over his strengths and weaknesses.
Four all-22 games and his highlights were evaluated, and clips from his film are broken down here. All relevant traits were graded based on his film. His scouting report also factored in stats and analytics, such as PFF grades. Use promo code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Please gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.
| Profile |
|---|
| 2nd CB / 1st RD | 6’0 / 195 | JR | Alabama |
| Pro Comp |
|---|
| Rasul Douglas |
| Scheme |
|---|
| Press Man/ Seattle Three |
DB Stats
| 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| TGT – 39 REC – 19 | TD – 1 YDS – 205 | INT – 0 PDF – 4 |
| 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| TGT – 80 REC – 37 | TD – 1 YDS – 352 | INT – 1 PDF – 16 |
Film Analysis
Kool-Aid McKinstry makes a fantastic play on the ball in this clip above. In some sort of off-zone coverage, Kool-Aid quickly flips his hips and reacts to back coming on a wheel route.
Here, Kool-Aid makes another exceptional play on the ball. This time, he’s in press-man and initially gives up space but has the athleticism and route squeeze to recover.
Kool-Aid shows he has the long speed to carry with vertical routes in this clip. Again, he’s in press-man, and he opens up his hips and runs stride for stride with the Receiver. He was in a position where he could’ve made a play on the ball had it been thrown in bounds.
Grades
OVR Grade: 1-100
| Individual trait scale (1-7): |
|---|
| 7 – Rare world-class skill; best in the league and no room for improvement | 6 – Great-elite skill; one of the best at that given trait but still has some room to improve | 5 – Very good; above average and has potential to be elite | 4 – Average; able to suffice but, not ideal long-term | 3 – Below average; able to suffice at college level | 2 – Poor; hinders overall play and is a liability to the team | 1 – Awful; not good enough to play given position at any level above D2 | Note: Consistency plays a large factor. |
| Overall Draft grade scale (1-100, realistically: 57-87): |
|---|
| 86 – Perfect prospect | 82 – Bluechip prospect | 80 – Likely all-pro | 79 – Day one quality starter or superstar potential | 78 – Day one starter w/ all-pro upside | 77 – Day one starter w/ high-end upside | 76 – Day One Starter | 75 – Boom or bust | 74 – Will become quality starter within 2-3 years | 73 – Boom or bust (high risk) | 72 – Will become starter within 2-3 years | 71 – Day-one backup with starter upside |
SPD – Speed
ACC – Acceleration
AGI – Agility
STR – Strength
MAN – Man Coverage
SZC – Shallow Zone Coverage
DZC – Deep Zone Coverage
DZC – Deep Zone Coverage
BSK – Ball Skills
PRS – Press Coverage
IQ – Football IQ
RUN – Run Defense
TKL – Tackling
Traits/ Skills
(Grades are subject to change until draft day.)
| Traits | Immediate | Potential |
| SPD | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| ACC | 6 | 6 |
| AGI | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| STR | 4.8 | 5.2 |
| MAN | 4.4 | 5.9 |
| SZC | 3.8 | 5.2 |
| DZC | 4 | 5.6 |
| BSK | 5.2 | 6.2 |
| PRS | 5 | 6.8 |
| IQ | 4.3 | 6 |
| RUN | 5 | 6 |
| TKL | 4.8 | 6.5 |
Kool-Aid McKinstry’s Pros and Cons
- Kool-Aid McKinstry is the ideal number-one Corner for any press-man or Seattle-three defense. His athleticism and impeccable technique in press allow him to thrive in that defensive style.
Pros
- As explosive and fluid as they come for his size
- Prototypical size and length with demeanor to be a number one Corner
- Accurate hands allow him to jam Receivers at the line easily
- Unlike most prospects, he’s very experienced in press coverage – 427 press snaps from 2021-2022
- Plenty of speed to hold up one-on-one vertically
- Comes down like a missile on screens
- Very comfortable playing with his back to the QB
- Played a wide variety of coverages and was able to communicate with the secondary properly
- Adds value as a Blitzer
- Stats back up the film, and he comes from a rigid culture
Cons
- Gets blatantly grabby in man coverage
- Can get outmuscled at the catch point by bigger Receivers
- His eyes will get him in trouble when in zone coverage
Combine
40 yd:
Ten yd:
Shuttle:
Three cone:
Broad Jump:
Vertical:
Bench:
Arm length:
Hand Size:
Pro Day
40 yd: 4.47
Ten yd:
Shuttle:
Three cone:
Broad Jump: 10’1″
Vertical: 34.5″
Bench:
Arm length:
Hand Size:
All-22 Games Watched:
- LSU, 2022
- Tennessee, 2022
- Texas, 2022
- Texas, 2023
Final conclusion on Kool-Aid McKinstry
I had high expectations for Kool-Aid coming into this evaluation and was not disappointed. How he consistently demonstrated flawless press-man technique was nothing short of remarkable. Pair his pressing ability with his top-notch athleticism, and we’re talking about a potential top-five pick. QBs constantly looked off his direction, and his impact on Alabama’s defense was crucial to their success.
I can understand why other analysts would be hesitant to view him as an early first-rounder due to his over-aggressiveness. However, I’d argue he knows how to ride that fine line of aggressiveness, which is why he got away with it so many times. Plus, he’ll only get more disciplined with more experience. This is a rare type of talent, and draft fans need to wake up and see how gifted this guy is.
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