Breaking down Alabama's starting candidates at the cornerback position

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Despite releasing a depth chart, Nick Saban is keeping his cornerback competition close to the vest. Monday, Alabama gave all four of its top cornerbacks co-starer status as Kool-Aid McKinstry and Eli Ricks shared one spot on the depth chart while Terrion Arnold and Khyree Jackson split the other.

While only two of those candidates will earn a starting nod during the season opener against Utah State, it’s likely each member of the quartet will receive significant reps Saturday night.

Earlier this week, Saban spoke about the importance of consistency among his cornerbacks, stating there is typically a handful of critical plays that pop up at the position every game. When asked about the cornerback competition during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference, he said all four of his candidates have made “significant progress” while stating that he was “anxious to see how they all play in the first game.”

Before Alabama takes the field against Utah State, here’s a breakdown of each of the cornerback candidates.

It was somewhat of a surprise that McKinstry wasn’t named as an outright starter Monday. The five-star sophomore has the most experience in Alabama’s defense after making six starts over 14 appearances last season.

McKinstry dealt with some growing pains last year but managed to earn Freshman All-SEC honors, recording an interception and a pass breakup to go with 26 tackles, including a sack. After starting each of Alabama's final four games, he worked with the first-team defense throughout the entire offseason. He’ll all but certainly be one of the first two Crimson Tide cornerbacks to take the field Saturday.

What’s been said: "Kool-Aid has developed really good. He knows the plays more better. His technique is improving and I feel like he's getting more confident, confident and comfortable. When he gets confident and comfortable, he's a great player." — defensive back Brian Branch

Arnold was one of Alabama’s biggest risers this offseason. Despite not seeing the field last year, he managed to climb up the depth chart, working with the second unit during practice by the end of the season.

Injuries to Jackson and Ricks earlier this month allowed Arnold to work with the first-team defense during both of Alabama’s preseason scrimmages. The redshirt freshman took advantage of the opportunity, as Saban praised him for his consistency and improved confidence earlier this week.

While Jackson and Ricks are back to full health, their time away from the field this month could give Arnold the starting nod across from McKinstry during opener.

What’s been said: “He’s becoming more of a leader as a young guy for this team. He’s stepping up to the role very well. He’s playing very well and he’s playing very confident. I think that’s what has really changed from last year is his confidence. With his confidence, he’s playing very well and we like that.” — safety Jordan Battle

Jackson earned his first career start during the national championship game against Georgia last season. That appearance featured a pair of costly miscues as he committed a pass-interference penalty before allowing a 40-yard touchdown to allow the Bulldogs to take the lead for good in the fourth quarter.

Jackson rebounded this spring, taking on the majority of the first-team reps across from McKinstry. While a groin injury has limited him this month, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take over one of the starter spots early this season.

What’s been said: “He and Eli [Ricks] both have really rare length to be as athletic as they are. But you’ve got to use the length to your advantage. You’ve got to use the length to help you jam people. You’ve got to lose the length to help you bump back and swat balls. I think both guys are certainly learning how to do that and learning how to do that and trying to do that to their advantage. I think that kind of size is a little unique to the position, but I think there are a lot of bigger receivers now, so having guys like that is really a good thing in the long run.”

After joining the team from LSU in December, many projected Ricks to lead Alabama’s cornerback unit this season. So far, injuries have slowed that transition as the five-star defender is still trying to acclimate to the Crimson Tide’s defense.

Ricks earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 2020, leading LSU with four interceptions, including two of which he returned for touchdowns. He appeared poised to continue that production last year, recording an interception and pass breakup over six starts before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery last October.

Ricks was withheld from contact this spring as he continued to rehab his shoulder. Earlier this month, he also dealt with a back injury that sidelined him for roughly a week.

Despite having arguably the most talent in the unit, Ricks appears to be the farthest off from securing a starting role at the moment. That being said, his role in the defense could increase significantly once he begins to find his footing.

What’s been said: “He's coming along. In the beginning of [camp], I believe he was hurt a little bit, but he was still practicing. That shows toughness on his par and I feel like he's getting back to his old self. Expect big things from him this year." — Branch