Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander tipped a pass and then intercepted it during the week 1 preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
One of the biggest knocks on defensive back Mackensie Alexander coming out of college is that he didn’t have a history of getting interceptions. Despite posting amazing coverage statistics, the lack of takeaways had many fans of the Minnesota Vikings a bit sour when they selected him in the second round.
Turns out that Alexander can play the pass pretty well. Plus, he can get takeaways as well.
During the second half of the preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings, Alexander tipped a pass from quarterback Keith Wenning into the air, located it, and dove for the pick. Not only that, but he took a nice big hit when bringing the ball in.
Here is a video of that play from the official Minnesota Vikings Twitter account:
Right place, right time for @MackAlexander20. pic.twitter.com/chmSwug7Ut
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 13, 2016
If this is the kind of play that can be expected from Mackensie Alexander in the future, fans of the Minnesota Vikings should be very excited. He has the potential to be something special if he can continue to grow and develop into the team’s defense and take advantage of his physical talents.
Next: Vikings game-by-game 2016 season preview
Not every quarterback that Alexander faces will be Keith Wenning, but the ball skills shown in this play are very encouraging. Not only does he play the pass well, but he can find the ball in the air, absorb a crushing hit, and hold on to the football.