Minnesota Vikings: Which young defender will be the next star?
By Dan Zinski
5. Mackensie Alexander
Mackensie Alexander is already making waves in the Vikings locker room if Captain Munnerlyn’s draft night tweet was any indication. What does Munnerlyn have to worry about? Mack’s only a rookie. Yeah, but he’s a rookie with possibly legit lockdown coverage skills.
Alexander could be coming for Munnerlyn’s nickel corner job in year-one, but is nickel corner the ceiling for Alexander? He’ll never be considered a top defensive player if he’s only guarding the slot. To become a star, he would have to show that he can cover outside receivers too. And it’s possible that he can.
Alexander is not the biggest guy at a shade over 5-10, but if you believe the scouts, he plays bigger than that. Because of his ability to shadow receivers and make plays on the ball, he could eventually grow into a top-line every-down corner. And I wouldn’t worry about his lack of picks in college. They won’t be able to throw away from him on every play in the pros, so look for him to get his hands on some interceptions.