— Long-armed defender who shows the versatility to play in man and zone coverage. Shows good vision and route recognition.

— Shows the ability to sink his hips into breaks and has quick feet to transition. Shows a very good burst to drive on the ball.

— Very good lateral movement in press coverage, with the ability to quickly get in phase and in the hip pocket of receivers.

— Long strider with good speed to carry receivers deep and also stays calm with the ball in the air.

— Willing tackler who comes up to support the run.

NEGATIVES

— Can be high in press. Doesn’t move his feet to mirror at the line of scrimmage but opens and runs without rerouting in press.

— Inconsistent tackler who doesn’t always wrap up ball-carriers. Lack of strength causes him to struggle to disengage on blocks.

— Faceguards receivers downfield and rarely gets head around to find the ball. Slower timing between getting in phases and locating the ball.

2023 STATISTICS

—

NOTES

— Born September 30, 2002

— Punt returner in 2022 and 2023

— 2022 Pro Football Focus All-American

— 2022 first-team All-SEC

— 2021 freshman All-SEC team

OVERALL

Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry is one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft. He’s a multiple-year starter who has great length and size. He also has excellent punt return ability and is a high-IQ athlete with good physicality and speed.

A versatile defender, McKinstry has the skill set to play in multiple schemes in the NFL. One of the top cornerbacks coming out of high school, he has continued that trajectory once given the opportunity at Alabama.

He’s a fluid defender who plays with a smooth pedal and quick feet to get out of breaks. When driving on the ball, he’s able to drop his hips and has very good burst to drive on the ball. When in press man, he looks to match the release and get into phase without getting hands-on and rerouting the receiver.

While working downfield, he can be a bit handsy at times. His high IQ can present itself by showing his route recognition and knowing how to keep his leverage.

McKinstry is a long strider who has the speed to run with most receivers downfield while also staying calm with the ball in the air. Although he often chooses to faceguard receivers, he does a good job of playing through the hands with good timing. He excels in playing the ball in front of him.

As a run defender, McKinstry plays his part, comes up quickly to support and isn’t afraid to insert. As a tackler, he does a good job of wrap-tackling but is inconsistent with securing his tackles. He does a good job setting the edge and keeping his outside arm free, though he lacks strength that can lead to trouble disengaging from blocks. As he continues to work on his run defense, he does more than enough to contribute in the NFL.

McKinstry is a top cornerback in this year’s class based on his skill set. As most incoming cornerbacks do, he will need to continue improving his technique, especially when it comes to using his hands downfield. His skills are undeniable and gives defensive coordinators the versatility to play multiple schemes. Look for him to be a starter early in his career.