Even though he has a pair of seasons under his belt, New Orleans Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry still strives for personal improvement. At least, that's what he has shown the media throughout the offseason.
Most recently at OTAs, the former second-round pick knows what his main goal is in 2026. "Rule #1 is growth. Coming into this year, I definitely want to show growth," McKinstry said to the media. "I definitely want to show my maturity year in and year out, as a player, as a leader, and in all those different types of ways.”
So far in his career, McKinstry hasn’t necessarily had the chance to show off his leadership ability, but he luckily has an opportunity to do so this year with Alontae Taylor leaving in free agency. Crediting his time with Nick Saban at Alabama, it's also something that he's already comfortable in. To him, he fits right into the leadership role.
Saints CB Kool-Aid McKinstry's growth hasn’t gone unnoticed
For Kool-Aid McKinstry, a leadership role is something that he’ll fit into nicely. Calling himself a lead-by-example kind of player, it’s a shift that has already been noticed by the coaching staff in New Orleans.
This offseason, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has been singing his praises. "Kool-Aid’s got a lot of natural leadership ability; he’s a ball guy in every sense; he really works at the game," Staley said about his cornerback. “People follow people who work the right way, and he’s improved a lot as a player. He’s poured a lot into his game, into his body, into his technique, and so I expect him to really shine in that way.”
Entering year three, both his on-field expectations and off-field expectations are higher than ever. It's an ongoing process for McKinstry and not necessarily an arrival. That raises the stakes, but luckily he's prepared and ready.
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