5. Mackensie Alexander – CB
Rookie Stats (2016):
- 5 tackles, 0 pass breakups
- 0 interceptions
When the Vikings were able to land Alexander with a second-round pick in 2016, some believed that he was one of the biggest steals of that year’s NFL Draft.
Coming out of Clemson, the young defender was regarded by some as the best cornerback prospect available in the 2016 draft. So when Alexander was still on the board in the second round, Minnesota and defensive back-lover Mike Zimmer made sure to snag him before anyone else could.
Despite him having such high praise coming out of college, the former Clemson corner struggled during his first season with the Vikings. Later on, Alexander admitted that most of his rookie struggles were due to him not wanting to line up as the team’s nickel cornerback since he played on the outside during college.
His stubbornness showed during his first season with Minnesota. Alexander didn’t get many snaps on defense as a rookie. But when he did, it usually didn’t end very well for the corner if the opposing quarterback decided to throw a pass in his direction.
Luckily for the Vikings, Alexander was able to rebound from his forgettable rookie campaign and Pro Football Focus named him Minnesota’s most improved player last season.