2024 NFL Mock Draft: Arizona Cardinals full 7-round projection in early-February

Round 1, Pick 27: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

The Cardinals went offensive playmaker with their first pick, and with the second of their first-round picks, they will take a playmaker on the other side of the ball. In high school, he was the state of Alabama's Mr. Football, and Defensive Player of the Year by USA Today. He was a 5-star recruit by 247 Sports when he committed to play for Nick Saban.

He is 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds and draws comparisons to Emmanuel Forbes and Patrick Surtain Jr. When quarterbacks targeted him in the passing game they suffered a passer rating of 66.4. He had 22 passes defended over the last two years, and aside from being a shutdown corner, he is also an elite punt returner, who had the second-most return yards in Division-I football last season.

Kool-Aid plays well in bump and run coverage, as well as zone. He's an excellent communicator in the secondary, ensuring his teammates are all where they should be pre-snap. He is physical but doesn't draw too many penalties.

All told, McKinstry needs to sharpen his game against good route runners so he can stick with them in and out of breaks. Covering Nabers in practice every day should help with that and develop the Alabama product into a CB1 for a defense that badly needs such a player.