Don’t know much about new Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander? We asked a FanSided expert from Rubbing The Rock five questions about him.
When the Minnesota Vikings used their second round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft on cornerback Mackensie Alexander, many fans rushed to find out more about the young man, as they weren’t prepared for the team to go that direction with the pick.
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Thankfully, at FanSided, we have access to experts from many different areas of sports available. To find out more about Alexander, The Viking Age called upon Andrew Boardwine of FanSided’s Clemson site Rubbing The Rock to get a little more information about who this young man is and what he brings to the team.
Here are the 5 questions asked of Andrew Boardwine pertaining to new Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander:
What is the greatest asset that Mackensie Alexander brings to the Minnesota Vikings?
"“Mackensie Alexander is a lockdown cornerback. Many scouts and NFL GMs passed on him because he didn’t have an interception, but if you watch the games it’s because he wasn’t thrown at. He locked down star wide receivers such as Will Fuller, Sterling Shepard, and Calvin Ridley and made it where opposing quarterbacks wouldn’t even look at their star targets. Alexander is also a student of the game. He would spend countless hours in the film room studying his wide receiver assignment for the week and is extremely confident in what he does.” – Andrew Boardwine"
Are there any reasons why Vikings fans should be concerned about this pick?
"“Absolutely not. Minnesota got a steal being able to draft Mackensie in the second round. He locked down the best wide receivers in the nation and, in my opinion, was the second best corner in the draft. He is a bit shorter than what most may want in a defensive back, but he makes up for it with his athleticism, football IQ, and confidence.” – Andrew Boardwine"
What is your overall impression of Mackensie Alexander as a college football player?
"“In my opinion, Alexander is probably the best corner, at the very least top five, to ever come out of Clemson. If you really watch film, you see just how special he was and how consistent he was in his time as a Tiger. He is going to be a special talent in the NFL and, in my opinion, will continue to show that with the Vikings.” – Andrew Boardwine"
How do you feel Mackensie Alexander will transition to the NFL?
"“Mackensie will transition just fine to the NFL. I think he will make an impact his rookie season even behind a deep group of defensive backs in Minnesota.” – Andrew Boardwine"
Do you have any final impressions on Mackensie Alexander that you’d like to leave Vikings fans with?
"“When you think about Mackensie Alexander, think “lock down corner.” This guy is a student of the game and no one will work harder than him.” – Andrew Boardwine"
Next: Minnesota Vikings 2016 NFL Draft class
A huge thanks go out to Andrew Boardwine of FanSided’s Rubbing The Rock for taking the time to answer these questions for The Viking Age. From the sound of things, Alexander is a hard worker who should be able to make an immediate impact on the team and continue to improve over time. Hopefully, his assessment is an accurate one and he can help an already strong group of defensive backs for the Minnesota Vikings.