What is the real name of Kool-Aid McKinstry? Top prospect from Alabama draws crazy comparisons with Sauce Gardner

Kool-Aid McKinstry is easily one of the most recognizable names in college football. There are two reasons for that, first is his unique name and second is his footballing ability.

The Alabama Crimson Tide cornerback is one of the highest-rated in the country and a projected first-round pick at the 2024 NFL draft.

As you may already guess, Kool-Aid McKinstry isn’t his real name. His real name is Ga’Quincy McKinstry. He was nicknamed Kool-Aid by his grandma who said his smile reminded her of the Kool-Aid Man, the official mascot for the drink mix brand.

The name has stuck and even earned him a NIL partnership deal with the brand.

How does Kool-Aid McKinstry compare to Sauce Gardner?

Kool-Aid McKinstry’s skills as a cornerback have also earned him comparisons to Sauce Gardner, the former Cincinnati Bearcat cornerback. Gardner was selected by the New York Jets as the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft and won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Gardner was also named a first-team All-Pro, becoming the first rookie to earn the honor since Ronnie Lott in 1981. It's a very real possibility that McKinstry could achieve the same as Sauce Gardner.

Like Gardner, McKinstry possesses the ability to aggressively assert himself against opposition offenses. At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, he is only two inches and five pounds shy of Gardner’s height and weight, with enough time for growth.

Assessing Kool-Aid McKinstry's career so far

At Alabama, Kool-Aid McKinstry has shown just how efficient he can be at cornerback. He was named to the SEC All-freshman team in his freshman year and in 2022, he had his breakout season for the Crimson Tide. He made 25 tackles, 1 interception, 1 sack, 15 PDs, and 332 interception yards.

McKinstry was a two-sport star in high school as he also played basketball and could have gone on to play it at the college level. He won multiple state championships and averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game as a junior at Pinson Valley High.

In 2020 he led his school to a state title win gathering 22 tackles, 12 PDs, and 2 interceptions on defense. He added 45 catches for 706 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense.

He was recruited by Alabama as a 5-star prospect in the 2021 class. He ranked 13th nationally in cornerback and first in Alabama.

McKinstry has grown immensely under the watch of the legendary Nick Saban and is one of the stars to watch out for as the season nears commencement.