Minnesota Vikings: Five players flying under the radar
By Adam Carlson
Mackensie Alexander
Last year, Mackensie Alexander accepted a challenge to be the nickel corner for the Vikings that didn’t quite match well with his skill set and physical ability. For a second-year player who was a second-round draft pick, that’s quite a transition to make.
Despite rarely playing on the outside, Alexander found himself on the field for 323 defensive plays where he racked up 15 tackles, 6 pass defenses, and one interception, a major improvement from his rookie campaign.
The drafting of Mike Hughes to be the team’s nickel corner means that Alexander can once again be free to play on the outside against receivers where he can be more comfortable and familiar yet still have a year of experience at nickel under his belt.
Alexander being able to take the field in just about any situation as a corner makes him valuable and his confidence and skill set will continue to develop under head coach Mike Zimmer. Plus, being part of a group of corners with Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes can make a young cornerback a big target for opposing quarterbacks.