NFL Draft 2016
| On 8 years ago

Grade The Pick: The Vikings Second Round Selection Of Mackensie Alexander

By Adam Warwas

With over 1,600 votes tallied, the readers of VT have pretty handily handed out an “A” grade for last night’s first round selection of wide receiver Laquon Treadwell. We are not stopping with the Laquon Treadwell draft grade, however, and now it is time for you to give us your first impressions of our second pick.

The Vikings stayed put at 54th overall and selected Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander. Alexander, who is our 16th ranked player on the Vikings Territory Big Board, will join a talented young secondary that already contains Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes on the depth chart.

Alexander may not fit a pressing need, but he will certainly be touted as a “best player available” style pick that is rumored to have slid down draft boards due to a brash personality. He has some serious confidence on the field that is thought to translate poorly to teammates, but Mike Zimmer’s hard-nosed coaching may be the best situation for Alexander to land in.

He is 5′ 10″ and 190 pounds and is well known for getting zero interceptions in college. His talent gave him few opportunities, however, and he also gave up zero touchdowns as a red-shirt sophomore in 2015. He is another man corner with plenty of upside that Zimmer has placed in his tool bag before heading to work for the 2016 season.

Please cast your vote in the poll below!

 

Adam Warwas

Adam Warwas (Founder) has been writing about the Vikings for a total of eight years. Five of those years have been here at Vikings Territory where he continues to surround himself with enough talented individuals that people keep coming back. As proud as he is of what Vikings Territory has become, his real treasures are in his home... a beautiful wife and three amazing children (and a dog named Percy).

Tags: Mackensie Alexander Trae Waynes xavier rhodes

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  • It feels like with this, they will move Newman or Alexander. He might be munnerylans replacement too, but I have to hesitate. I don't like the pick if he can't play safety. We left some good guys out here and look at our cbs.
    Rhodes
    Newman
    Wayne's
    Alexander
    Munnerylans
    And our mostly punt returner cb.
    Where does he crack the roation
    If he can't play safety, don't like it

    • Hey, make sure before that your idea is that where is he going to fit is in some type of typical Defense! Zimmer is not a typical defensive Coach, so why is it that some consider that the design of his defense has been anything but typical, to get the most out of each individual according to their skill set! You know that the NFL is evolving into a strange type of hybrid game where the passing attack if designed properly that it will destroy your opponent! So now the defense has to adapt and what i mean by adapt that there are certain positions are now being created, a hybrid if you will, that is LB/CB and of course the DE/LB and Zimmer has a couple of those but he also loves these cover guys that can stay with anybody and cover! Zimmer says you cannot have too many CB's So what does he do with his 2nd pick he takes a CB and what are his skill set? THat is your answer to how this pick came about! You have to understand this team took the best player to make this team better and that is what has happened ever since the POnder deal! What does Zimmer say do not make the same mistake twice! No more ponders on this team! This team has many people working their tale off to get things right and the scouts the coaches the front office management the whole team completely immersed into getting it right!

    • There wasn't a safety with as much talent as Mackensie has. So, why would we leave a better player on the board. If you don't like this pick, then go watch his tape. Dude can ball.

  • In the short term, he is not a pressing need. But Newman will be gone next year (age) and other players will be FAs...and as Viking guy stated, Zimmer can create a hybrid position based on player skill...

    Given he seems to have been on many boards late 20s to early 30s....It is a great value deal.　Agreed it might not be the best short term pick (ie next year) but it is a great medium term pick

    • Similar physicals as Josh Robinson.. How did that work out? I am very disappointed. Good safeties on the board. I just find it hard to believe that Sendejo is the answer. I understand the positional pick, but not so soon when safety is a more glaring need. They had three to choose from that could have been starting at the start of the year or soon after. I would have preferred Billings over this pick. Another too short d back. Only a nickel player, at best. I don't understand trading away their third round pick either. They maybe could have grabbed one the top five safeties in the third. Traded away for a likely throw away pick this year and a maybe 3rd rounder next year.

      • Sorry folks, I phrased that very poorly.. One of the top five safeties remaining...two probably will be pretty good. Vonn Bell instead of this pick in the second... After that, Still three good ones available at the conclusion of the second round.

      • "Similar physicals as Josh Robinson.. How did that work out?"

        The difference being that Robinson was strictly an outside corner who had never played in the slot while Alexander has played all over the field, covering whoever was the best receiver on the opposing team.

        • He can cover, no question. I just thought that there were greater areas of need to address in the second. Rhodes, Waynes, and Munnerlyn likely starting next year. So he becomes depth and a possible replacement for Capt in a year or two. Who knows.. maybe he will be a quality outside corner in time. His game tape was fairly impressive other than the segment that highlighted his average tackling skills. No, not fair to compare him to Josh Robinson any more than it was for some to compare Fuller to Troy Williamson. Same concern (size and drops respectively) in the comparison but not comparison to the strengths that the rooks have that the failed veterans didn't. Alexander can flat out cover, even though about the same 40 time as Robinson, Alexander covers better. Getting him to turn and look for the ball can be coached, but taller receivers could have their way with him. Huge advantage for a 6' 4" plus receiver against a 5' 10" cb .

  • I don't think we needed a CB at all but I gave it a B anyway. MacKensie Alexander is one of my favorite players in this draft. I love his attitude, I love his skillset, and I love his production. This is a good value pick.

    I also don't think we need to do much else. Everyone thinks we need a safety but I'm not so sure. Between Griffin, Sendejo, Harris, and Exum, I think we have a decent competition there. I'm all for taking the best player available in the rest of the draft

      • Yeah, I'd like to have him too. He's considered to be a bit of a project player but we have great coaches and an excellent player already at the position. After so many years of mediocrity, we're finally in a position to take chances like that. I say go for it

  • Not every corner needs to be six feet tall. Alexander appears to be an excellent coverage CB, the type other teams steer clear of. I think he beats out Price for the #5 corner this year and either replaces Newsome in the top 3 rotation (along with Rhodes and Waynes) or Munnerlyn in the slot (although I'd like Captain to be re-signed) next year. Excellent value pick.

    I think Zimmer must be sold on giving Harris and/or Exum a real shot at winning the Safety 2 job this year or next, which works for me.