New Orleans Saints 2016 NFL Draft Profile: Mackensie Alexander

With the New Orleans Saints coming off a disastrous year on the defensive side of the ball, we take a look at Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander, a draft prospect who could come in and be a game changer.

The New Orleans Saints need help on the defensive side, no doubt. If they decide to go cornerback, then Mackensie Alexander should get a close look. He is arguably the most talented at the position. What he lacks in size is made up with incredible athleticism.

Measurables:
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 190 LBS
Arm Length: 31 3/8 inches
Hands: 9 1/8 inches

Combine Results:
40-yard dash: 4.40 seconds (Pro day)
Bench press (225 LBS): 11 reps
Vertical: 37.5 inches (Pro day)
3-cone: 7.17 seconds (Pro day)

Analysis:
Alexander came into Clemson being the fourth-best prospect in the country. He was named Freshman All-American in 2014 as well as All-ACC honors as a full time starter.

Alexander is known for playing lock-down coverage. Many quarterbacks threw the ball away from him, and that is why he didn’t get much chance to create any interceptions in the last two years.

He is very muscular and has a knack for spending much of his free time in the film room. Alexander also has great recovery quickness that is crucial to cut down on early separation. He does lack size and could use improvement on his footwork,however, its his man-to-man coverage that separates him from other corners in the draft.

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How he fits with the New Orleans Saints:
Alexander could come in right away and compete for the a starting job. The New Orleans Saints need a guy like this who plays confident and aggressive. Alexander can talk a little too much trash, but honestly, the Saints could use some swagger.

Mackensie is sometimes compared to Desmond Trufant (per NFL.com) from the Atlanta Falcons who has made a name for himself quickly in the NFL. The New Orleans Saints desperately need a guy who can come on late in the secondary and make big plays.

There’s simply no other single guy in the draft that exudes the raw, natural instinct to be fearless when the game is on the line. There’s a slim possibility he could slip to the second round. Look for Alexander to go somewhere in the mid-first round though. This one guy could be a game changer for the Saints if they pull the trigger.