Oh Yeah: Talented 2021 DB Ga'Quincy 'Kool-Aid' McKinstry Inks With Alabama
In what was probably the most-followed recruitment in the state of Alabama, 2021 defensive back/wide receiver Ga'Quincy McKinstry's drama-filled story reached it's crescendo back in October when he announced that he would be rolling with the Crimson Tide over Auburn and LSU.
Nicknamed 'Kool-Aid' for his eccentric personality, McKinstry will attempt to play both, basketball and football, at the Capstone. He would be the first in the Nick Saban-era to do so.
His overall athleticism makes him one of the top players in the country regardless of position, and we're sure that when his paperwork came in on Wednesday, some Crimson Tide staffers let out some 'oh yeah's!'
"I felt the most comfortable with Alabama," McKinstry previously told Bama Central. "I can get developed there. I'm ready to go home and play for the goat. It doesn't get better than Nick Saban."
He finished his senior season in style, helping guide Pinson Valley High School to its third state title in four years. He just so happened to win this year's championship in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
McKinstry was also named MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Game where he caught three passes for 76 yards and picked off two passes while on defense. He will be on campus in Tuscaloosa in January.
SIAA believes McKinstry's raw athleticism make him the No. 4 corner in the country:
Prospect: CB Ga'Quincy McKinstry
Projected Position: Cornerback
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot, 175 pounds
School: Pinson (Ala.) Pinson Valley
Committed to: Alabama
Frame: Tall build with great length relative to height. Well-proportioned with lean muscle and considerable room to add mass.
Athleticism: Two-sport star with national offers in football and basketball. Explosive athlete with great long speed, ball skills and elevation regardless of role. Has above the rim ability on the hardwood with appropriate twitch and body control to set up an offense.
Instincts: Twitchy athlete in traffic or in space. Supreme ball skills, tracking ability and body control make him a big play waiting to happen. Change of direction and reaction time on defense proves elite despite lack of advanced technique. Runs well enough to play cornerback or factor into the return game. Confident prospect.
Polish: Playing well more wide receiver than defensive back in high school, there is a ways to go in man coverage but the combination of length, speed and ball skills proves effective. Can contest 50-50 balls as well as back shoulder attempts with quickness and range. Comfortable in zone coverage, willing to challenge wideouts at the line of scrimmage as well as playing the run.
Bottom Line: McKinstry is one of the most gifted athletes in the class of 2021 in two sports, a rare feat at any age. He can legitimately be considered America’s top cornerback and contend as one of its top wide receivers and scoring guards all in the same breath. If and when he focused on one position, or sport, there isn’t much of an athletic ceiling in his game — the same reason his prospects in the secondary are so intriguing.
