NFL Supplemental Draft: CB Adonis Alexander scouting report

By Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com

The annual NFL Supplemental Draft will be held Wednesday, July 11, with this year's class featuring three draftable defensive backs.

We've already featured scouting reports on Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal and Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant. Here is NFLDraftScout.com's scouting report on Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander:

Adonis Alexander, CB/S, Virginia Tech

6-2, 194, 4.62

Charlotte, N.C. (Independence)

11/7/1996 (Age 21)

Projection: 4th Round

Summary

An on-and-off starter at Virginia Tech, Alexander began his Hokies' career as a rover in coordinator Bud Foster's defense before moving to boundary cornerback the past two seasons. He started more games as a true freshman (eight) than his sophomore (five) and junior (two) seasons combined as he battled a crowded cornerback depth chart and found himself in and out of the coach's doghouse.

A good-sized athlete, Alexander displays composed movement skills and the toughness to match up with large targets. However, his lack of short-area suddenness forces his transition to stall, and his lack of technique and discipline lead to breakdowns in coverage. Alexander is at his best when he is in position to use his physicality both in coverage and vs. the run.

Overall, Alexander has intriguing talent with his combination of size and athleticism; teams with schemes that place a premium on length at cornerback will be particularly interested. Other teams will view him as a safety with his range and toughness vs. the run while his hiccups in coverage will be minimized.

Alexander has NFL starting potential once he receives more coaching, but questions regarding his football and personal character cloud his projection.

Scouting Report

Strengths: Plus-sized athlete for the position. Long arms are a strong selling point. Looks to press and escort receivers to the sideline. Good enough speed on film to carry receivers vertically. Better than expected range, accelerating to his top gear quickly. Upper and lower body stay synchronized to stay in position to recover. Ball skills to make plays when the opportunity was there (seven career interceptions). Reliable high-to-low tackler, restricting run lanes. Looks to tune up his target, striking with force. Experienced at safety and cornerback.

Weaknesses: Tight movements and lacks the change-of-direction skills to consistently pattern match. Technique is not a strong suit. Inconsistent feel for body position and often turned around on comeback or square routes. Slow to react to route breaks, allowing receivers to create a passing window. Late to anticipate, leading to spacing issues (which was a constant issue against West Virginia wide receiver David Sills in the 2017 season opener).

Physical mindset is a blessing in run support but a curse in coverage, attracting flags downfield for his lack of finesse. Off-field decision-making deserves scrutiny after multiple examples of immaturity in the classroom, in the football building and away from campus. Cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession (April 2016) and suspended for the 2016 season opener. Suspended two games (Sept. 2017) by head coach Justin Fuente after failing to meet expectations. Academic probation was a constant issue throughout his time at Virginia Tech. Missed one game as a true freshman due to a shoulder injury (Oct. 2015) and missed two games as a junior due to a pulled left hamstring (Nov. 2017).

Background

Alexander, a three-star recruit out of high school, earned all-conference honors as a safety in his junior and senior seasons at Independence. As a senior in 2013, he finished with 105 tackles and two interceptions and was named first-team all-state, playing primarily a hybrid linebacker/safety position.

Alexander wasn't considered a top 25 recruit in the state of North Carolina, but Virginia Tech (the only Power 5 program to offer him a scholarship) saw intriguing athletic potential. The other strong selling point is that the Hokies viewed Alexander as a safety in the Kam Chancellor role, where other programs wanted to move him to linebacker.

He graduated from high school early and found the field as a true freshman at rover, posting 55 tackles, 10 passes defended and four interceptions over eight starts in 2015.

The coaching staff moved Alexander to boundary cornerback as a sophomore, sharing the starting duties with Brandon Facyson and Greg Stroman. He started five games in 2016 and posted 44 tackles, nine passes defended and two interceptions, adding a blocked field goal return for a touchdown.

As a junior, Alexander missed four games (two due to suspension, two due to injury) and finished with 27 tackles, five passes defended and one interception in nine games at cornerback (only two starts). He elected to return for his senior season but was ruled academically ineligible for the 2018 season, prompting him to enter the 2018 Supplemental Draft.

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