No Picks
February 28th, 2016
Red flag for Mackensie Alexander
A top cornerback in the 2016 NFL draft is Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander.
The dude oozes confidence — Joe will have more about that tomorrow — and a pretty strong resumé for being a shutdown corner, with one glaring exception that would make Lovie Smith vomit.
Alexander has not had an interception since he played for Immokalee High School. So Joe asked him straight up yesterday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis how he responds to NFL teams that question his ability to be an NFL baller, since he doesn’t have a pick in two seasons of college ball.
“How do I answer that? I mean, I had some opportunities to come up with some picks in my career,” Alexander said. “I didn’t come up with them at the end of the day. I’m taking it like a man, you know. But in a lot of situations, where I wasn’t challenged very much. A lot of quarterbacks and teams stayed away from me. That was their game plan. That’s it, really. That’s how I answer that.”
Joe gives Alexander props for not ducking the question.
Later, when NFL Network’s Mike Mayock had his combine-closing press conference (no, Joe doesn’t consider the TV show the combine), Mayock suggested Alexander’s pick-free college career means he must be studied intensely by NFL teams.
“One of the things I am concerned with, with a few of the defensive backs, are lack of ball production,” Mayock said. “With Mackensie Alexander you have to do a lot of work because a lot of teams didn’t throw at him so you can’t downgrade a kid for that. I have more work to do on him. I thought he was longer than he actually measured out.
“Basically, I am anxious to see his ball skills. One of the things you have to look at here are – same as Jalen Ramsey – you have to kind of get a feel for whether or not a kid can find the football when it is in the air when his back is to the quarterback. I think the jury is still out on both of those guys.”
Notice Mayock made no secret of his love of fellow cornerback Vernon Hargreaves but is not all-in on Ramsey or Alexander.
Could Ramsey be a tad overrated? This is the first Joe has heard any disparaging words on Ramsey.
February 28th, 2016 at 12:23 pm
When I look at CBs, I look for picks. When I see one that has them, I then explore the tape to see why he has them. Sometimes it is because he jumps his routes and plays undisciplined and just happens to be in the right place at the right time.
I’m sorry, but no picks means Alexander doesn’t have a good eye for the football. Saying teams never threw at him is not true. It’s pushing to blame to someone else.
There is a happy middle ground…CBs who do their duty and don’t jump off their routes too soon…they get slightly fewer picks, but they also become shut down corners.
That’s what we need.
February 28th, 2016 at 12:27 pm
I tell you what and I’m no expert but YouTube VH3 highlights and then do the same with Ramsey’s. You’ll notice a difference.
February 28th, 2016 at 12:41 pm
BB. You’re funny. Agreeing but you’re funny man.
February 28th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
“you have to kind of get a feel for whether or not a kid can find the football when it is in the air when his back is to the quarterback.”
Ummm… I could be wrong, but, at the NFL level, don’t defenders who go up for the ball with their back to the QB pretty much always draw a PI flag?
February 28th, 2016 at 1:05 pm
@William
No. As long as they look back at the football, it’s legal. I think.
February 28th, 2016 at 1:14 pm
@bonsai
I think you also have to be attempting to catch the ball.but you might get lucky sometime by turning your head.
February 28th, 2016 at 1:22 pm
@Nole. I just took you up on the VH3 vs Ramsey highlights. Ramsey’s don’t even come close to Hargreaves highlights. I honestly thought it would be alot closer however most of Ramsey’s are at Safety rather than Corner. Hargreaves highlights look Damn impressive. Height be damned.
February 28th, 2016 at 1:36 pm
As some of you know, I’m a huge FSU fan. I think I watched every snap Ramsey played at FSU other than maybe the game at Citadel which wasn’t on TV.
He’s a good player, but honestly I think he is being overrated a little bit. Didn’t have a great year last year. Was much better at Safety in my opinion.
That being said, Ronald Darby had a pretty rough year his last year at FSU and ended up killing it his rookie year. No doubt Ramsey has all the measurables you want in a DB, but I don’t see him being a Patrick Peterson type at the next level
That being said, if he’s there at 9, which he certainly won’t be, we’d be fools not to have the card turned in 2 seconds after we’re on the clock with his name on it
February 28th, 2016 at 2:05 pm
You cant compare them to each other . They both have different games .
1st Ramsey is being confused as a corner because he plays that position but as a nole fan i have watched him since he got here and he is a Ed Reed type player. His range on the field is amazing and second to none.
2nd VH3 has all the highlights because he has that Dieon Sanders field speed and he can cover his mistakes with that speed. But he takes alot of chance and does get beat at times (2013 Calvin Benjamin).
3rd Alexander is a player who believes in his skill set (Revis ). lives and dies by that . very disciplined and intelligent on the field every play.
Trust all will be good players if they are allowed to be them . just remember Joe Haden was the same player as VH3 when he came out but now is in the mold of Alexander. The bottom line is which ever one you get you wont be let down . Me personally im trading glennon, the 9th and 4th round pick to Cleveland for the second in the 1st round and the wnd round pick and grabbing Ramsey.
February 28th, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Creamsickle, Bucs have are hurting at both DE and CB. But if given a choice at #9 between a stud DE and a stud CB, I’d rather see us go with the stud DE this year. If we can’t increase pressure on opposing QBs this year, we’ll be competing for last place in the division once again. Our current CBs may not be world beaters, but they stack up better than our DEs.
February 28th, 2016 at 2:58 pm
More proof this tool is an idiot. Ramsey as a FS was a hawk. This from the same a$$hat that said Jameis should have thrown 40 INTs. I’m about to downgrade Mayock. The guy watches a bunch of tape, that’s lovely. But good lord, his projections are an atrocity. Hargreaves? Prolly think Tebow is a great QB too. Mayock thinks UF talent > FSU talent. Reality thinks FSU > UF
February 28th, 2016 at 3:00 pm
Soooo tired of Mayock trying to make the news with his going against the grain projections. Hargreaves over Ramsey? LOL! No one thinks that. Same idiot who thought Jameis was worse that Capt. Glassman (Mariota)
February 28th, 2016 at 3:06 pm
There are enough good CBs & DEs to make trading down (if we can) an option. A good possible partner would be the Eagles @ 13…..they may want to move up for a QB.
We need to trade Glennon and use that pick & our 4th… 5th & 2 6s….to move up for 3 Defensive starters……DE,CB,S
February 28th, 2016 at 4:09 pm
Kalind………….Hargreaves is a Pure Corner. Ramsey is a Safety who can play corner in a pinch. It is apples and oranges IMO.
Ramsey is currently predicted to be gone by pick 9 anyways. Hargreaves is our choice if we are going CB. Ramsey if we go Safety which I don’t think is possible. I personally hope we go DE first.
February 28th, 2016 at 4:24 pm
Another interesting guy, though we don’t need LB is Derron Lee from OSU. He ran a 4.47 40 and had an 11’1″ Broad jump. He has played LB, SS, CB, RB and KR and PR in his football career. Can anyone say Athlete?
February 28th, 2016 at 4:28 pm
Joe Hayes running d-line drills at combine
February 28th, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Thanks, BB.
February 28th, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Ramsey would be great IF we needed a safety more than a corner. Hargreaves fits a greater need and having watched him play at Wharton and UF and knowing those around him, his character Is unquestionable.
February 28th, 2016 at 4:51 pm
Regarding the draft, everything depends on the strategy Licht decides to go with. Will they go straight BPA, or will they target the glaring need for a pass-rusher? I recommend going all-out to get the personnel to generate a reliable pass rush. But, I’m just a fan.
February 28th, 2016 at 5:01 pm
Ramsey is not overrated. Why when hargraves is mentioned, people say hes too small. Alexander does not have that stigma though they are the same height
February 28th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Hargreaves in the first Ogbah in the second and the kicker from Florida state in the third and I’ll be extatic.
February 28th, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Bonzi – “Saying teams never threw at him is not true. It’s pushing to blame to someone else.” Hogwash. 31 receptions in two years? 11 receptions last year with 0 TD? Alexander allowed opponents to complete just 29.6 percent of balls thrown into his coverage — the second-lowest rate in the nation. He tracked Notre Dame WR Will Fuller when they met, limiting him to just 37 yards. And while Oklahoma WR Sterling Shepard finished their game with seven catches, he was 0-for-3 when covered by Alexander. He was on the field for 766 snaps in 2014 and allowed 20 completions; just consider that for a moment. In 638 snaps last season, QBs completed only 11 passes vs. Alexander with zero touchdowns while he racked up 23 tackles and two tackles for loss. Teams only completed a total of 31 receptions when targeting Alexander in his college career. Let that sink in. What do the Buccaneers need more in a CB than a player like Alexander, who combines lateral quickness and shadowing skills with a strong jam at the LOS, to disrupt the timing of routes? He also maintains hip-pocket positioning on receivers down the field, which discourages quarterbacks from attempting throws in his direction. All of us watched last year as teams burned our secondary over and over again on short slant routes. Alexander is the perfect player with his athleticism and technical skills to challenge the short passing game with aggressive bump-and-run tactics.
February 28th, 2016 at 5:49 pm
Will Wall you are just a fan just like the rest of us but what you stated makes a heck of a lot since to me bro.
February 28th, 2016 at 6:53 pm
Been a while since we hollered Nole but I am totally on board with best pass rusher over DB if it is BPA as well.
February 28th, 2016 at 7:57 pm
Noah Spence or Mac Alexander are my top choices. Alexander is SHUT DOWN corner.
February 28th, 2016 at 9:27 pm
IMO this is a no brainer with the # 9 pick we go DE! With pressure on the QB it makes the whole secondary look much better! A stud corner is obviously a major weapon but not as much as as a stud DE. Without the pressure it makes any stud in the secondary vulnerable… With as deep as this draft is on the DL I wouldn’t mind our first two picks being spent on them!
February 29th, 2016 at 4:01 am
If he’s still there in the 2nd, and we want to go that direction, then he’s golden!
One thing to remember that was pointed out during the combine, “No CB with ZERO interceptions has ever went in the first round”. So there again, our 2nd or maybe our 3rd pick if we trade back up into the 2nd. All of this depends on what we do in free agency. And Im hoping Mario Williams is TOPS on LICHTS LIST! It better be!!!!
February 29th, 2016 at 4:11 am
After ogbah’s combine performance I doubt he makes it past pick 15.
His production, skill, size and measurables look like a good fit for us at 9 overall.
Spence hurt himself at the combine.
He may fall to the second round.