The Eagles’ demise this season can be traced back to many things. Poor coaching is near the top of the list. But on defense, it is hard to only blame the coaches given the roster they had to work with. There simply was not enough talent on defense. At linebacker, Safety, and notably at Cornerback they were caught lacking. The Eagles brought back two corners over 30 on new contracts. Darius Slay still played well. James Bradberry? Not so much. One of Howie Roseman’s most important tasks this offseason is getting younger, and better, at corner. He may finally need to break the trend and draft a corner on day 1 or 2. And one corner definitely worth keeping an eye on is Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry.

Not only does he have the best nickname in this year’s draft class, but he is one of the best players in it too. The junior spent all 3 years at Bama, starting since he was a Freshman. And now with Nick Saban out at Bama, and his stock is as high as it can get, Kool-Aid McKinstry has entered the draft.

But is he the right fit for the Eagles? Does his play on the field live up to how great his nickname is? Before the draft in April, let’s get to know him a bit better. Just how good can he be? How did he get his iconic nickname? And will the Eagles have a chance at drafting him?

For more draft coverage, check out the following stories:

• “The Best Show Ever?”- Mock Draft 1.0
• “The Best Show Ever?”- Mock Draft 2.0
• 6 Cornerbacks The Eagles Could Target In The Draft

Here are 5 things you should know about Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry

• The Numbers Don't Lie

  In his 3 seasons at Bama, McKinstry played in 28 games. Most of which were against SEC competition. Despite that, he has given up just 3 TDS, 72 catches, and 800 yards. In all 3 seasons, he held opposing QBs to a passer rating under 80 when targeting him. His sophomore season was his best year, where he held QBs to a rating of just 57.9. Only 6 cornerbacks in the NFL had a better QB rating against in 2023. Together with Terrion Arnold, he helped the Bama defense hold opposing teams to just 6.5 yards per pass attempt. That great play led to some hardware for him too. He made the All-SEC 1st Team twice, and this year he was a 1st team All-American.

  His teammate, Dallas Turner, had some high praise for Kool-Aid’s ability as a shutdown corner.

  “When you build that rep up for yourself as a shut-down corner playing on that island the whole game, it kind of builds a lot of reputation for you. A lot of teams know not to try him. He’s been establishing himself since he was 18 years old.”- via secsports.com

  College Football Report on Twitter: "The most talented CB Duo in CFB⚠️Kool-Aid McKinstry & Terrion Arnold are 2 of the best CBs in the NFL Draft🐘 pic.twitter.com/r8BGHerG4y / Twitter"

  The most talented CB Duo in CFB⚠️Kool-Aid McKinstry & Terrion Arnold are 2 of the best CBs in the NFL Draft🐘 pic.twitter.com/r8BGHerG4y

• How He Got His Nickname

  Kool-Aid is not the actual name on his birth certificate. His real name is Ga’Quincy McKinstry. But few people ever call him that. Nick Saban admits to just calling him Kool-Aid. And he said that even his mom won’t call him Ga’Quincy.

  “My mom calls me G the most,” McKinstry said. “My mom never really calls me my real name. No matter how mad she is, she just never calls me my real name.”- via secsports.com

  His awesome nickname actually has a really sweet origin story. His grandmother gave it to him because his huge smile as a baby reminded her of the Kool-Aid Man, per Al.com. The name stuck from there. And he smartly parlayed that nickname into the most obvious NIL deal of all time. Also just imagine the branding opportunities once he is in the NFL.

  Kool-Aid "🎰" McKinstry on Twitter: "Sooooo does this mean I get to shout OH YEAH if I want when I walk into a new room 👀 ?🤔 @koolaid pic.twitter.com/YQJlysjHV5 / Twitter"

  Sooooo does this mean I get to shout OH YEAH if I want when I walk into a new room 👀 ?🤔 @koolaid pic.twitter.com/YQJlysjHV5

• Leader On The Field

  Being a great player is one thing. But helping other players become great is another. And one thing you have seen during Kool-Aid’s career at Bama is his growth into being a leader. Scouts have pointed out his knack for helping his teammates get into the right position. And Nick Saban credited Kool-Aid for his growth as a leader earlier this season.

  “He has a lot of confidence in what he’s supposed to do and I think he’s starting to see the importance of how influencing other people can actually create value for himself.”

• Battle Tested Against Great WRs

  Playing at Bama, Kool-Aid has had a chance to play against some of the best WRs in college football. Not just in the games, but on the practice field. Since he was a freshman, he was tested on the practice field by being lined up against future NFL players.

  “I was so young. Me having an opportunity to check Jamo (Jameson Williams) as a freshman and (John) Metchie as a freshman, it was very big to me.”– McKinstry said at SEC Media Day

  And then when he got into actual games he faced just as tough competition. The thing about playing at a school like Bama, LSU, or Georgia is that it shows you they can match up against NFL-caliber players. They have already been doing it. He played in one of the toughest conferences, and still put up elite numbers. Does that make him a lock to be good in the NFL? No. We have seen corners from Bama be busts before. But it is easier to translate what he did at Bama to the NFL than it would be for a corner from a PAC 12 or Big 12 school.

  PFF College on Twitter: "Most snaps played in press coverage without allowing a TD in 2022:🐘 Kool-Aid McKinstry - 299 pic.twitter.com/lZO3Pu07QR / Twitter"

  Most snaps played in press coverage without allowing a TD in 2022:🐘 Kool-Aid McKinstry - 299 pic.twitter.com/lZO3Pu07QR

• Will He Still be Available at Pick 22?

  The question is, will he still be there for the Eagles? The CB class is a bit more complicated than it was last year. In 2023, everyone knew Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez would be off the board early. But this year the predictions are all over the place. There is not a consensus number 1 guy. And because of that, some places have him going off the board before the Eagles even pick, while others have him lasting until the end of the first round. But mostly everyone has him in the 15-30 range. So the Eagles could have a chance. If not at pick 22, there could at least be a trade-up situation for them.

  That would of course mean Howie changing his ways and investing a first-round pick in a cornerback. And that is a different conversation. Howie hasn’t selected a corner in the first 3 rounds since Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas in 2017. The Eagles haven’t selected one in the first round since Lito Shepard in 2002. But Howie has changed his ways in other aspects. He used to love drafting players from small schools. But in recent years he has primarily targeted players from the SEC. So maybe after how much of a disaster this season was, he will understand he needs to invest in young corners.

  97.5 The Fanatic on Twitter: "The Eagles defense has a long way to go, according to @AdamSchefter."They need to address the defense period. Period. They need to get some life to that defense and bringing Vic [Fangio] in can do that."(@975JKShow)📸Matthew Stockman/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/rLqe3luN9f / Twitter"

  The Eagles defense has a long way to go, according to @AdamSchefter."They need to address the defense period. Period. They need to get some life to that defense and bringing Vic [Fangio] in can do that."(@975JKShow)📸Matthew Stockman/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/rLqe3luN9f

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