Despite his leaving Alabama Crimson Tide today dissapointment will be on Kalen DeBoer….

Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry of Alabama McKinstry, selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, is the fourth player from Alabama to be selected.

The New Orleans Saints chose Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry with the 41st overall choice in the NFL Draft after he was left out of the first round. McKinstry, along with JC Latham (Titans), Dallas Turner (Vikings), and Terrion Arnold (Lions), is the fourth player from Alabama to be picked.

Throughout his three years at Tuscaloosa, McKinstry—a native of Birmingham, Alabama—started many seasons. In 2023, he was awarded a first team All-American and received All-SEC and All-American honors. He participated in the College Football Playoffs on both of Alabama’s 2021 SEC Championship teams and was a member of those teams in 2021.

“”This individual possesses exceptional reflexes and football intuition.” “He’s a fast reactor in the secondary who understands offense and pattern-matching,” former Alabama head coach Nick Saban remarked of McKinstry during the NFL Draft broadcast. “He can also return punts well. I adore this guy so much. Because of his intelligence and natural ability, I believe he will be an extremely talented athlete. And most likely more prepared than anyone else to play.”

McKinstry joins a Saints squad that finished 9-8 in 2023 and narrowly missed the postseason. The team will play in the competitive NFC South division in 2024–2025 with a postseason berth very much in the balance.

During his freshman fall camp in 2021, McKinstry earned a rotating role on the defense and secured a starting cornerback position before the end of the season. For the next two years, he not only kept his starting position, but he also handled punt return duties as a sophomore and junior. In addition to breaking up seven passes and recording 32 tackles last season, he also returned 14 punts for 86 yards.