Scout- Jack Bourgeois
College: Louisville
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 192
40-Time: 4.38
Vertical: 35"
3-Cone: 6.71
Athleticism: 7.40
Q.A.B./C.O.D. 7.30 He’s a quick twitch athlete with decent change of direction but has room to grow with his footwork and mechanics. He doesn’t get out of his breaks as fast as he should which allows WR’s to gain separation. Flexibility 7.00 Adequate flexibility, needs to work on getting lower when backpedaling. Deep Speed 8.00 quicker than fast, has shown to be susceptible to the 9 route and at times compensates for that by giving himself extra space, which then leads to more shallow route receptions. Explosion 8.70 Very explosive both in coverage and the return game. He was a dynamic punt returner in 2016 and is lighting quick once he breaks on the ball/route. Coordination 6.00 Needs to improve his footwork, particularly his elongated recovery step when redirecting his momentum. Needs to improve getting his head turned around when the ball is in the air in man coverage
Coverage Ability: 7.46
Man Press 8.20 Possibly the best cover corner in this years draft, he’s very physical off the line of scrimmage, especially for his size. Jaire has a tendency to run WR’s off their route and/or run the route for them leading to several interceptions and passes defended. Man Off 7.50 Incredible burst and closing speed when able to read the quarterback, but needs to improve his stop and go speed to be effective against sharp route runners. Zone 6.50 He’s primarily a man coverage corner but when in zone he played quite well at times, showing understanding of coverage concepts, as well as passing on/accepting new wide receiver responsibilities mid play. Hand Fighting 7.80 At times Alexander’s overly aggressive physical hand fighting leads flags but he definitely disrupts more catches then he is flagged. No catch is an easy one when he is around, he’s constantly timing his hits and rips ons the wide receiver. He makes wideouts earn their catches! Hips/Turn Ability 7.30 Can turn and run without losing any speed or acceleration but needs to work being patient and knows when to turn hips. Often he was targeted and baited on curl and comeback routes due to his eagerness to turn and go.
Play Making: 7.83
Closing Quickness 8.00 Extremely quick, he makes up for his inconsistent stop and go speed with his ability to recover and close the distance in a hurry. Ball skills 8.00 Had 5 interceptions his sophomore year, he’s a ballhawk and magnetic to the pigskin. He inniciates more Int’s than he catches, Alexander is always getting his hands on the ball and making a play. Route/play Diagnosis 7.50 Always has his eyes on the quarterback, often jumps routes for better or worse. Teams have shown to test his aggression with double moves and disguises, plays with more athleticism than wisdom.
Run Support: 6.73
Quickness Upfield 7.40 Can get up field in a hurry, had several tackles for losses when evaluating game film. Fight Through Blocks 6.00 Jaire is eager to make a play, is hard to block in open field but his size hinders him against bigger wide receivers and tight ends at the line of scrimmage. Tackling 6.80 Willingness to hit and make any tackle necessary, typically aims low and takes out legs rather than wrapping up and showcasing form tackling.
Competitiveness: 7.00
Toughness 7.00 Suffered both a leg injury and broken hand this past season, though Jaire was able to power through it, he didn’t look the same after his return. Production 7.00 Very productive 8 interception 2016 season, followed by an injury plagued 0 Int year. Was one of the nations best punt returns of 2016 and his elusive with the ball in his hands. Consistency/Motor 7.00 Needs to improve the consistency of his mechanics, but he truly has a high motor and when health can play every snap.
Intelligence: 7.00
Instincts 8.00 Very instinctive in coverage, senses the ball and has superior timing when high point the ball and dislodging it from a receiver. Learn/Retain 6.00 Wasn’t able to correct his elongated recover/plant step when redirecting his momentum from sophomore to junior yeah and shown the occasional blown assignment. Teamwork 7.00 True team player, very energetic and passionate about the game.
STRENGTHS
Alexander is a play-maker and ball hawk. He’s an athletically gifted, slightly undersized corner who plays a lot stronger than his size would lead you to believe. He often cracks wide receivers at the line of scrimmage and will remain physical with them throughout the route. He’s insanely tough, coming back from a knee sprain and broken hand to play in the final 3 games of his college career, when most would have begun to there preparation for the combine. He’s best in press man coverage but has success in off man and in zone.
WEAKNESSES
The effort is there but Jaire isn’t a great form tackler, he often goes low and tries to save his body from punishment of bigger ball carriers. His stop and go quickness needs improvement, as this is really the only time he allows separation. He can be beat deep, but it’s rare and he has trouble disengaging once a block has a hold of him.
BIG PICTURE
Jaire is tough as nails, he’s a superior competitor who doesn’t shy away from a challenge. He was a warrior’s mentality that electrifies the entire defense. He’s a disrupter, constantly dislodging, tipping and intercepting the ball when on the field. At 5'11 192 lbs he doesn’t have the prototypical size to line up against tight ends, but makes up for it with tenacity and effort. His return ability makes him a multi-weapon on special teams, as he is dangerous every time he touches the ball. The fact that he missed a majority on the 2017 season leads me to believe he’ll be a day two pick, most likely mid second round and will be a huge addition to any secondary as a #2 corner, especially if he can return to his sophomore form.