5 Big Predictions for the Green Bay Packers in 2018
By David Steger
2. Jaire Alexander
There was a lacking feeling in the Green Bay Packers secondary last year. It was talent missing, but there was something else along the lines of swagger. The Packers definitely found it in newly drafted cornerback Jaire Alexander. He can talk to talk and back it up with the walk to walk. He has already been showing up with his skills at rookie minicamp as well. Alexander adds that lockdown corner aspect that the Packers have been missing for a while. Being a smaller cornerback doesn’t hinder him either with him playing the ball on the play and not the receiver. This allows Alexander to grab more turnovers and defend passes.
For having shorter arms, Alexander has shown he has that super agility with his hands to jam receivers off the line and get the edge up in winning the route. He has the closing speed of a 4.38-second 40-yard dash to still be able to make a play and down the route even when getting beat. Alexander in the past two years of Louisville football has produced the lowest passer rating allowed in college football. His 2017 passer rating allowed was 19.9. Granted he only played seven games in 2017 but played a full season in 2016 with the same production.
His stats in college were pretty impressive for only playing basically 2 years of college football with 7 interceptions and13 passes defended. I expect Jaire Alexander to have 4 interceptions with 19 passes defended and 2 forced fumbles in 2018. His passer rating allowed will be 61.3 playing on the outside across from Kevin King. I know fans can not wait to see Jaire doing his touchdown dance he showed multiple times since being drafted.