Louisville CB Jaire Alexander Taken 18th Overall By Green Bay

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NFL

Jaire Alexander Selected 18th Overall By The Green Bay Packers

For Jaire Alexander, his path to the NFL has been rough. During 2017 he was plagued by injury, limiting him to only seven games played and six starts. The Lousiville cornerback’s ability to come back from those injuries combined with his toughness and his athleticism is what has NFL teams interested in drafting him. The 21-year-old Charlotte native had 19 tackles, one interception and four pass break-ups in 2017. He was also honorable mention All-ACC. All of this from a player who was only a 3-star prospect coming out of North Carolina.

What Makes Him Worthy Of The NFL?

One of Alexander’s biggest strengths is his potential to become a playmaker and leader on a team. He has shown an ability to read and avoid zone coverage, as well as an ability to stay connected to the routes and keep his eye on the quarterback. He has speed and agility on the field, and he can stick with his man and follow through on coverage.  His instincts with regards to routing and keeping up with opposing receivers are good, as is his ability to communicate with his teammates. He also knows how to read coverage and squeeze through defenders. Defensively, he has a knack for break up passes, as shown by his numbers (4 in 7 games in 2017). Moreover, he can climb on top of receivers and rip arms through potential catches.

The Man Has Had His Struggles

Since Alexander was limited to only seven games in 2017, his tape is a little difficult to evaluate. He has also shown some inconsistency in finishing his tackles and has shown a tendency toward being grabby in coverage. This season he seemed to be taking it easy to avoid further injury, which is somewhat understandable. However, he will need to step up his aggressiveness if he hopes to make it in the NFL.

Ultimately, football is a game, and anyone playing it should bring a sense of fun to their game. This is something Jaire Alexander knows how to do, and he will bring his own unique brand of fun to the NFL.

Written by Susannah Schmidt

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