Ga'Quincy "Kool Aid" McKinstry had garnered lots of attention well before he committed to Alabama and joined the Crimson Tide program. The two-sport phenom athlete (five-star defensive back) out of Pinson Valley was well renowned and heavily recruited for his incredible athletic prowess, and it seems that the whole country has come to recognize this.



This morning on Good Morning America, USA Today awarded McKinstry with the National High School Defensive Football Player of the Year award, which is a huge honor and achievement by itself.

The awards didn't stop there, however, with Rob Gronkowski joining the show to present McKinstry with the USA Today National High School Male Athlete of the Year award. Gronk offered his congratulations as well as a message of "Whassup" from his current teammate and former Crimson Tide Tight End O.J. Howard.

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"I'm very excited and thankful to get the award from you, and tell O.J. I said hey, how you doin'," was McKinstry's response, and he later commented that he is "looking forward to helping the team and doing whatever I can."

Gronkowski is hosting the High School Sports Awards Show with Michael Strahan, which will be airing tonight.

McKinstry has received heaps of praise since arriving on campus, including from head coach Nick Saban himself. He will certainly see the field this upcoming freshman season, and there have even been rumors he could start as a true freshman, a rarity in Saban's program.

The Crimson Tide open the season against the Miami Hurricanes Sept. 4 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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