The Iron Bowl is known for having some of the most intriguing recruiting narratives in college football, with Alabama football and Auburn University often vying for top recruits nationwide.
Linebackers Reuben Foster and Rashaan Evans, both from Auburn High School, are notable examples. Foster famously sported an Auburn tattoo before switching to Alabama in 2013, while Evans’s decision to join Alabama over Auburn in the subsequent recruiting cycle also stirred emotions among Tiger fans. Before Nick Saban’s arrival in 2007, Auburn typically dominated recruiting in Alabama. However, Saban’s tenure saw a shift, starting with the recruitment of Julio Jones from Foley High School in 2008.
Many players deeply involved in the Iron Bowl rivalry, such as Mark Barron, Robert Foster, T.J. Yeldon, Ryan Anderson, C.J. Mosley, Jamey Mosley, Da’Ron Payne, Marcell Dareus, Quinnen Williams, and AJ McCarron, had the potential to play for Auburn but ultimately chose Alabama under Saban’s leadership, leading to multiple national championships.
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Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry, an alumnus of the University of Alabama, was initially committed to Auburn from Pinson Valley High School. However, he ultimately flipped to Alabama, a decision he has no regrets about. McKinstry shared the moment that influenced his decision during an interview with Robert Griffin III on his podcast, “RG3 and The Ones.”
“I committed to them on a Wednesday. We are watching them play somebody, and I am just sitting there looking at the game like ‘I don’t think I want to be a part of that.’ I was a winner in high school. I won three state championships in football, I was around great players all the time. I was like ‘I don’t want to be a part of that.’ They got beat worse than the score was. You could see like they were getting beat worse than the score was. It felt like it was 52 to something. I went to sleep that night and when I woke up Sunday, I called Malachi Moore who was still at Alabama. I called him was like ‘Bruh, tell me what’s up with ‘Bama, bruh.’”
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McKinstry’s desire to be part of a winning culture was fulfilled at Alabama, where he became a two-time first-team All-SEC selection (2022, 2023), a first-team All-American (2023), and a two-time SEC Champion (2021, 2023) in just three years. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (No. 41 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.
