Music City Miracles
The Titans are hosting a premier cornerback prospect on a pre-draft visit
The Tennessee Titans are hosting Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry on a pre-draft 30 visit. The visit occurred on Tuesday according to local beat report Terry McCormick. McKinstry projects as a first round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
McKinstry entered the 2023 college football season as the consensus top-ranked cornerback. He’s since faced competition for that honor from his teammate Terrion Arnold, and Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. McKinstry is no longer expected to be the first corner drafted, but he’s still a potential top-32 selection.
McKinstry’s pre-draft process has been muddied by injury. A Jones fracture in his right foot (the same injury Derrick Henry had in 2021) prevented McKinstry from physically participating at the NFL Combine. Despite nursing that injury that will soon require surgery, McKinstry ran a 4.47 40 at Pro Day. That’s extremely impressive.
McKinstry possesses the quickness, attitude, and change-of-direction ability to develop into a high-level press-man corner in Dennard Wilson’s scheme. Advanced lateral agility allows McKinstry to stay within the hip pocket of his assignment. McKinstry is also extremely competitive at the catch point.
The Titans don’t have a big need at cornerback after acquiring L’Jarius Sneed through trade, and signing Chido Awuzie in free agency. They’ll play boundary corner in Tennessee with Roger McCreary manning the nickel position. McKinstry’s injury could potentially see him to slide to Ran Carthon’s second-round pick (No. 38), but it would still qualify as surprising if the Titans targeted a cornerback that highly in the draft given their other needs on the roster.
