5 first-rounders Bears should consider who won't replace Justin Fields
If the Bears hold Justin Fields going into 2024, their first round options could really bolster some key positions.
By Ryan Heckman
5. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Finally, we come to a bit of an underrated option for the Bears. Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry should be a top-10 pick, but would be better suited between picks 6-10 than in the top five.
The Bears could also have a need for cornerback depth, too, if Jaylon Johnson does not return. Johnson is a free agent and was subject of trade rumors this season while wanting a new contract. At the other starting spot, the Bears have rookie Tyrique Stevenson. So, drafting McKinstry would replace Johnson and give the Bears a real young duo on the outside.
McKinstry stands 6-foot-1 and offers good size and length for the position. He has just about everything you want in a starting cornerback, too. If he's in zone, his instincts show up on every snap. If he's in man on the outside, he plays physical football and disrupts routes on a regular basis.
He isn't necessarily a ball hawk, but McKinstry is better at disallowing plays to unfold. He and Stevenson play very similarly, as they're both physical and try to bully their opposing receivers.
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