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Player Bio
 
While Alexander was just a three-star prospect coming out of North Carolina, and ranked only in the top 70 cornerbacks in the country, Louisville saw a future starter in his speed, ball skills, and physical play on the outside. He proved them correct in 2016, intercepting five passes and breaking up nine others in 13 starts to garner second-team All-ACC honors. Alexander played in 12 games, with one start on defense (19 tackles, one interception) in his true freshman season. He's also made a name for himself as a punt returner in his first two seasons (29 returns for 223 yards in 2015, 19 returns for 195 yards in 2016), including a 69-yard return for a touchdown against ACC rival Florida State in 2016. Alexander missed about half of the 2017 season with leg and hand injuries, but managed to start six of seven games played on the year (19 tackles, one interception, four pass breakups) and was named honorable mention All-ACC.
 
Analysis By Lance Zierlein NFL Analyst
 
Draft Projection:  Round 1
 
NFL Comparison: Teez Tabor
 
Overview
Twitchy and quick, Alexander is an instinctive cornerback with the ability to anticipate routes and the quickness to close on throws and make plays on the ball. He tape in 2017 was uneven due to issues with a sprained knee which could raise concerns over his durability considering his slender build. When healthy, he has the potential to become a second cornerback, but teams may view him as a full time nickel cornerback who is able to avoid the rigors of excessive run support.
 
Strengths
 
  • Athletic and tough
  • Came back for last three games of the season despite missing multiple games due to sprained knee and a broken hand
  • Eyes stay on quarterback when he's able
  • Aware and instinctive
  • Spots traffic from zone and squeezes passing lanes
  • Carries playmaking traits
  • Quick response time when quarterback begins release
  • Smooth mover with plus acceleration to chase
  • Feet are light and sudden
  • Crowds and mirror receiver's release without panicking
  • Stays connected to routes
  • Pattern reader capable of sudden stops to mirror comeback routes
  • Aggressive attacking catch point
  • Climbs on top of receivers and rips arms through potential catches
  • Has decent recovery burst on the deep ball
  • Communicative with teammates
Weaknesses
  • Gangly frame unlikely to carry much more good weight
  • Injuries and missed time make 2017 tape tricky to evaluate
  • Avoided excess contact with blockers and appeared to lack his typical brand of aggressiveness
  • Needs to play with better knee bend from press
  • Read routes and created opportunities to attack throws but defaulted to the safe play
  • Can get grabby in man coverage
  • Allows base widen and loses balance during transitions from time to time
  • Gave up too many redzone touchdowns in 2016
  • Inconsistent getting head around in time to find the football
  • Inconsistent finisher as tackler and may struggle to get off of NFL blocks
 
Sources Tell Us

"It looked like he kind of cruised by sometimes this year like he was trying not to get hurt. You can see that talent, man. He can stay on you all over the field and he was one of the smoothest ones I saw at the Combine." - AFC defensive backs coach
 

Great ideas rooted in love.(R)

Last edited by Rusty
Original Post

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fightphoe93 posted:

One comparison I heard was Tramon Williams, the younger version of Tramon. An inch shorter than Tramon was though.  Let's hope he's that and not Ahmad Carroll.

 

I actually like the comparison to Sam Shields better. I posted a comparison of their pre-draft measurements in the draft thread, they line up pretty closely. I’d be thrilled if he ends up with a career like either Tramon or Shields.

For some reason, I kept having premonitions of an "undersized" corner who could talk smack but back up his play and not be a Carroll/Randall-like locker room distraction and serve an important slot role coming out of his draft. Never thought it would be Alexander though.

But seriously, watch the highlight clips. He holds his own against Michael Clark and DeShaun Watson, among others. Sounds like injuries were the only thing keeping him from being in the Fitzpatrick and James category.

BrainDed posted:

Not the preferred build, hopefully he has some hops because he's gonna see a lot of targets in the red zone.  

Ok. You wanted no part of Davenport at 14 because he was a pass rush project that hasn’t gone against elite competition. But last year you wanted Watt at 30 because pass rush solved everything for the secondary. Then GB drafts the second best press cover guy that’s gone against elite competition and you’re worried he’s may suffer in the red zone. 

So what the **** man? Seriously. 

So you think he has the preferred build for a corner?   I don't think my comment was that negative, just pointing out the obvious concern.   

No I don't want a small school pass rush project.   Yes last year I wanted the guy from Big10 who played big against Ohio St, Michigan and so on.   I'm missing the problem.  

Im not hating the the pick.   I'm a little disappointed we didn't use this rare opp of starting mid 1st coupled with 11 other picks to make a play on elite talent so maybe that's showing through on my tone. 

Last edited by BrainDed

There is no effing way Ted drafts Jaire Alexander at 14 if Dom is still the DC. Or makes the trade down/up to 18. Especially after Randall was told to git.

No knock on Ted. But everyone stops chasing their misses eventually. Even if those misses are Dom Capers fault. Can’t miss players because you’ve missed though. 

Tonight felt different. Like someone else’s plan. 

Last edited by ChilliJon

I have no issue with this move.  In my mind the only two elite DB prospects were Ward and Fitzpatrick.  Trading back to get a decent cover and return guy plus picking up another first (albeit no 3rd rounder) seems like a good move.  Time will tell but I don’t understand all the angst with this move. 

Now, if you are a Browns fan I would be burning down the city lol 

I like Alexander a lot. What bothers me is that we had a pick at 14 where we had the CHOICE of either Derwin James or Tremaine Edmunds, two picks many mocks had going well above the Packers at 14. I do not know where the Packers sit now since they traded up for #18. What did they give up to do this? Next year we get New Orleans first round pick as well as our own first round pick. It has been forever, if ever, since the Pack has had two first round picks. Instead of being ecstatic over that, I am wondering how this gets changed.

El-Ka-Bong posted:

I love the move, thought trading down to get an extra second or third was always the smart move, never considers we'd get an extra first!  

JA brings speed, which the secondary needed.  My only worry is JA already has a history of being fragile.  

I think we will be drafting more CB help to cover the injury problem.

Tschmack posted:

I have no issue with this move.  In my mind the only two elite DB prospects were Ward and Fitzpatrick.  Trading back to get a decent cover and return guy plus picking up another first (albeit no 3rd rounder) seems like a good move.  Time will tell but I don’t understand all the angst with this move. 

Now, if you are a Browns fan I would be burning down the city lol 

Living in the armpit of Ohio there are quite a few Browns fans at my work.  Lots of grumbling this morning.

Anyhow, I am happy with this pick we needed a corner badly and we got the 1st or 2nd ranked corner in the draft.  My only concern is no 3rd round pick I  hope they can find a way to get back in to the 3rd round.

mrtundra posted:

. I do not know where the Packers sit now since they traded up for #18. What did they give up to do this? 

Packers lost a 3rd & 5th / received a 6th

Pack has ONE pick today (so far) #45 overall

Tomorrow they currently have 6 picks in rounds 4 & 5. So they can easily get into round 3 if they like someone. 

I was hoping they'd take Derwin James at 14.  I think he's a top 5 safety in a couple years.  But hard to criticize what Gute did last night.  He traded the 14th, 76th and 186th picks for Alexander, a 2019 first-rounder plus picks 147 and 248.  All to get a guy that I've seen mocked to the Packers as much as any player.  

Of course this all depends on how Alexander plays and where the 2019 pick from New Orleans comes in.  But I think New Orleans is going to take a step back this year and I've read positive reports on Alexander.  So I'm pretty stoked about what happened last night.  

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