PASADENA, Calif. — When Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy drops back to pass in Monday’s Rose Bowl, he’ll likely find two of his receivers covered by future first-round NFL draft picks.
One is Terrion Arnold. The other is Kool-Aid McKinstry. Yes, Alabama has a cornerback named Kool-Aid.
To be clear, it’s not his given first name. That would be the similarly fun Ga’Quincy, which makes his full legal name a sort of rhyme. Except hardly anyone calls him that.
“I’ve known him since the ninth grade and I have to think about what his (real) first name is,” said Alabama defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
Kool-Aid has stuck so hard that it’s how Alabama lists him on its official roster: Kool-Aid McKinstry, No. 1, the first name listed; a 6-foot-1, 195-pound junior defensive back from Birmingham, Alabama.
McKinstry was “born smiling” and thus earned the nickname from his grandmother, according to AL.com. For those unaware, the sugary drink of the same name has a mascot known for its big smile.
McKinstry said his mom calls him “G” at times, but everyone else in his life drinks the Kool-Aid.
He’s a heck of a football player. He was a first-team All-American this season for one of the country’s best defenses. If he enters the NFL draft this year, he’s projected as a first-round pick along with Arnold. ESPN’s four draft experts all have McKinstry among their top four cornerbacks.
“McKinstry has played in 40 games, collecting 21 pass breakups and picking off two passes,” writes one of those experts, Matt Miller. “He’s polished and battle tested, and he has solid all-around positional traits.”
Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond, who goes head to head with McKinstry in practice, cited his teammate’s athleticism.
Steele, the defensive coordinator, pointed to his competitiveness. “The other thing that separates him is he is very resilient. That’s critical at his position.” McKinstry might get beat once, but he bounces back. “He’s phenomenal at that,” Steele said. “And he’s got ice water in his veins.”
Some teams have shied away from McKinstry this season, but Arnold has held up when tested. As an alternative, Michigan might deploy tight end Colston Loveland even more than usual in Monday’s playoff semifinal game.