Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst during the NFL combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
GREEN BAY, WI (WSAU) – All eyes are on the Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday as their 2024 draft class works out for NFL scouts, including from the Green Bay Packers.
According to Packers insider, the Packers scouts had a “long conversation with McKinstry while waiting on broad jumps” and also met with star wide receiver Jermaine Burton.
Ga’Quincy McKinstry, or “Kool-Aid,” is a former five-star cornerback recruit and the fourth-ranked defensive back in this year’s draft class behind his Alabama teammate Terrion Arnold, Toledo star Quinyon Mitchell, and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, but some scouts view McKinstry as a possible star in the NFL after he ran a 4.47 forty-yard dash during today’s pro day and showed a strong defensive improvement from his freshman to sophomore season hold opposing quarterbacks to just 59.0 QB rating during the 2022-2023 season.
McKinstry does have some injury concerns after doctors at the NFL Combine discovered a Jones fracture that will require him to have surgery this week Friday with the expectation that he’ll be ready to fully participate during training camp in August.
Scouts at NFL Draft Buzz note that McKinstry “exhibits exceptional awareness in zone coverage, consistently reading and reacting to the quarterback and unfolding plays,” but also “struggles against physical route runners, especially on sharp breaks; must sharpen mirroring against agile, physical WRs in the short-intermediate game.”
Meanwhile, Jermaine Burton is coming off a stellar season for the Crimson Tide, with 798 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns scored in 2023. He also performed well at the NFL Combine, running an official 4.45 forty-yard dash. Burton does come with off-the-field questions after he hit a female Tennessee fan during the post-game field rush after Alabama’s 2022 loss to the Volunteers. Former head coach Nick Saban did not suspend Burton for the incident.
Video of WR Jermaine Burton allegedly striking female Tennessee fan in head while exiting field Saturday
🎥 Source: Abraham Zapruder pic.twitter.com/XdTCjo468e
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 19, 2022
When asked about the incident during February’s NFL Combine, Burton said it was just a moment of passion, saying, “It was pretty much just an emotional thing that goes on. Like I said, I’m a passionate player of the game. Nothing against anybody, but it’s just an emotional time, especially if it does come to a situation where the field or court will be stormed. Players are really emotional about the games of basketball and football; it just naturally comes with loving the game.”
The Packers have a major need at cornerback, making McKinstry a very strong possibility at 25 overall, and Burton could be in play for Green Bay at pick 58, assuming the franchise feels like the behavior that led to the incident involving the fan will not impact him in the NFL.
Comments