Alabama Football: Mid-Season Player Awards

Defensive Player of the Year – Kool-Aid McKinstry – Cornerback

Kool-Aid Mckinstry certainly deserves props for his performance this season as he’s continued to cement himself as the nation’s top cornerback. Coming off of a season where he got second-team All-American honors from multiple publications McKinstry has seemingly only gotten better. When playing 1-on-1 coverage Mckinstry shows a level of poise and calmness you rarely see in a college cornerback. The ability Kool-Aid has in press coverage is his most impressive attribute and what makes him so special compared to other college cornerbacks. Kool-Aid has also shown solid tackling ability which in part makes him so valuable to this Alabama defense. Mckinstry’s play has made him a candidate for multiple honors including: The Lott, Nagurski, and Bednarik awards given to the nation’s top defender.