Nick Saban opens up on the growth of Kool-Aid McKinstry as a leader

While the Alabama Crimson Tide might not be having the perfect season their fan base demands amid the lofty expectations of the Nick Saban era in Tuscaloosa, they still currently sit at 6-1. This week, they’re preparing for yet another SEC matchup with the Tennessee Volunteers.

In his Wednesday press conference, Alabama head coach Nick Saban went into detail on the growth of Kool-Aid McKinstry as a leader the past few years.

“You know, he’s done a good job. I think, you know, he has a lot of confidence in what he’s supposed to do and I think he’s starting to see the importance of how influencing other people can actually create value for himself,” Saban explained. “But that’s a little harder to do at corner than it is when you’re playing safety or star. Because you’re in the middle of things and you’re making calls, but he’s done a good job of that.”

In seven games this season, McKinstry has racked up four pass breakups, ranking him second on the Crimson Tide defense in that stat category. In the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, he figures to be one of the top defensive backs selected.

CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson recently unveiled his latest NFL Mock Draft and he had McKinstry tabbed as the No. 20 overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, projecting him to be selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Saban responds to Terrion Arnold statement about the Alabama HC and Caleb Downs

When Terrion Arnold joined On3’s Andy Staples for a wide-ranging interview, he claimed Caleb Downs was the player most similar to Nick Saban. The freshman safety has been a force on the Crimson Tide defense and, according to Arnold, shares plenty of characteristics with Saban.

During his press conference Wednesday, Saban responded in a way only he can.

“You can ask Terrion what his opinion is about a lot of things,” Saban joked.

Arnold called Downs a perfectionist and “very, very serious” when describing his similarities to Saban, who has a unique relationship with the defensive backs. A former DB himself at Kent State, Saban still coaches the defensive backs. As a result, he forges fun bonds with players such as Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry, which also came up in Arnold’s response.

Saban offered a similar sentiment about Downs’ personality, but joked he’s not sure if those traits apply to him.

“I don’t evaluate the personalities of the player in the room,” Saban said. “I like Caleb Downs, I think the’s got a lot good characteristics as a person. He’s got a great, competitive attitude about how he goes about things, how he prepares. He’s very serious. He pays attention to detail, really has a lot of pride in performance.

“I don’t know if anybody could say that about me, so I’m not comparing myself to him at all. But I like the intangibles that he plays with and that he has as a person.”

Alabama will face off against Tennessee on Saturday, Oct. 21. Kick time for that one is slated for 3:30 PM EST.

On3’s Nick Schultz also contributed to this article.