Overview

Position: CB

College: Alabama

Class: Junior

Age: 21

Measurables

Height: 5’11 1/2”

Weight: 199 lbs.

Arm length: 32″

Hand size: 8 1/2″

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: N/A

10-yard split: N/A

Vertical jump: N/A

Broad jump: N/A

Bench press: N/A

3-cone drill: N/A

Short shuttle: N/A

Strengths

Very good overall size and length. Great acceleration and quickness. Quality speed with an ability to hit the turbo button. Very high awareness and reaction time. Extremely fluid hips changing direction. Can steer and stick with route breaks. Plays low and athletic. Terrific feet defending routes on the perimeter. Patient mirroring release patterns. Poised in the press and uses hands to check opponents. Pins wideouts along the sideline on vertical routes. Tremendous getting a hand up to defend throws. Stays in the hip of opponents throughout the route. Excellent ability to get out of the shuffle and stick with in-breaking routes. Can clamp down quick in cuts. Easily throttles down to stick with comeback/stop routes. Comfortable with his eyes on the quarterback in zone coverage. Able to match tight ends in coverage. Great overall play recognition. Aggressive diagnosing and positioning himself versus the run. Looks to stop things before they get going on outside runs and screen passes. Effective as a blitzer. Almost exclusively played right cornerback but was in on a key tackle from the slot versus Georgia (2023).

Weaknesses

Could be more aggressive trying to take the ball away. Limited ball skills and production shown. Will tug up at the shoulder of wide receivers. Can be slow switching in zone coverage versus deeper route combinations. Will peak into the backfield and lose his responsibility. Sometimes gives up a step deep on go routes. Has been crossed up by sharp in-breaking routes after strong vertical sell. Would like to see him wrap and be stronger as a tackler. Not great shedding blocks when opponents get attached. Needs to hustle and be less of a spectator away from the ball. Almost seems to have focus/awareness drop if not involved in the play.

NFL comparison

James Bradberry

Conclusion

Overall, McKinstry is a prototype cornerback with impressive cover skills that can erase opponents on the perimeter. He will ideally play with more consistency and focus at the next level to reach his ceiling as perhaps the best cornerback in the class.

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry