Louisville, New York Jets, Jaire Alexander
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NFL Draft Insider Matt Miller says the New York Jets will go defense in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. But who is Jaire Alexander out of Louisville?

In the latest high profile 2018 mock draft, the New York Jets were penciled to take Josh Allen, QB, out of Wyoming with the sixth overall pick. While with their first of two selections in the second round, NFL Draft Insider Matt Miller of Bleacher Report went to the defensive side of the ball with Jaire Alexander out of Louisville.

Who?



While upon further review, it seems Miller may have looked at his protege’s (Connor Rogers of the Stick to Football podcast) notebook. Because Rogers initially had penned Alexander there in his full Jets mock draft (via FanRagSports) two weeks earlier:

“When healthy, Alexander is one of the best cover corners in the entire country. He’s a smooth athlete who could step in right away as a top-three cornerback on the depth chart heading into training camp.”

While it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Jets to add to the cornerback pool with one of their two second-round picks (thanks to the Sheldon Richardson trade). Especially when you consider the lack of depth at the position:

  • Morris Claiborne is a free agent to be and he could command huge money on the open market.
  • Buster Skrine still has one more year left on his deal ($8.5 million), but the Jets could save $6 million if they released him. Although before they get trigger happy and release a guy at a position of need, you’ve got to think, who the hell are they going to replace him with?
  • While the underbelly of the position leaves much to be desired. The Jets have a healthy mix of unproven commodities on the bench. Not the ideal depth you’re looking for.

With those thoughts in mind, the Jets desperately need to add cover corners so head coach Todd Bowles has a fighting chance to run his schematics successfully in 2018.

Alexander played three years at Louisville, including starting 10 games as a freshman. Over the course of his career, he collected seven interceptions, accounted for 77 tackles, and added a forced fumble and fumble recovery to the resume, per CFB Reference.

Although arguably his best performance came against one of the best wide receivers in Syracuse football history in Steve Ishmael earlier this season. Ish entered the game with a chance to break several program records at the wide receiver position and it seemed Alexander took special exception to that factoid.

He’s a feisty competitor who can continue to change the culture of that secondary and locker room on 1 Jets Drive. I say feisty because he is on the smaller side 5-foot-11 and weighing 192 pounds. But with his style of play, you wouldn’t know the height he’s listed at.

Alexander and his family requested a draft grade from the committee and he said, “It is the committee’s estimate that you have the potential to be drafted as high as the second round, per the Courier-Journal.”

People call me Boy Green for my unwavering dedication to all things New York Jets. I work at The Score 1260 in Syracuse and I'm extremely passionate about sports. I aspire to continue my rise through the business and hopefully I'll end up working for the New York Jets in some capacity.