NFL Draft: Chiefs’ cornerback options
From their average big board ranking (ABBR), I have split them into three tiers. The first tier consists of options that the Chiefs will most likely have to trade up for, or get lucky on draft night. The second are players that should still be available around the back end of the first round and could very well be the pick for John Dorsey at number 28. The last tier consists of options that are second round projections, and Dorsey could choose to trade out of the first round, something that I would be fond of depending on what unfolds on day 1 of the draft.
Lets start with that top tier:
Jalen Ramsey: ABBR – 2
Vernon Hargreaves III: ABBR – 8
Mackensie Alexander: ABBR – 17.6
Let’s all be realistic. Jalen Ramsey and Vernon Hargreaves III are not coming to Arrowhead stadium. However nice it would be to see them paired with Marcus Peters to make a young, cheap and high performing cornerback group, it just isn’t going to happen. Ramsey will be selected in the top 5 unless something drastic happens, and it’s more than likely that Hargreaves joins him in the top 10 or so.
Mackensie Alexander, however, is a more intriguing prospect. This is a guy who has great ability, and if paired with Marcus Peters, would create a feared cornerback duo. Alexander was consistently ranked in the late teens, and is scheduled to go mid-to-late first round as of writing. The Chiefs, with the number 28 pick, would have to move up to draft him, or hope he slips a little before draft night, but would he be worth such a move?
Alexander’s key attribute to his game is his quickness. This is not just speed, though he possesses such speed running a 4.47 40 yard-dash at the Pro Day, it is an elite ability to change direction, accelerate and decelerate, shift side-to-side and mirror receivers in and out of sharp breaks. Alexander is sharp. Seriously sharp, and complimenting him with the more anticipatory Marcus Peters would be a nice pairing.
He does, however, display uber confidence, erring on this side of cockiness. While it’s important to play with confidence, Alexander’s game can suffer because of his exuberance. He often gets consumed by trash talking his opposing receiver, rather than letting his play doing the talk. However, this is was a knock Peters before his drafting, and with the example that he has set, there is no reason that Alexander can remain confident in his ability without becoming complacent.
While these are all wonderful things, does this make him worth trading up for? No, it doesn’t. There is one key issue with Alexander and that is size. Standing at 5-foot-10 he is shorter than many modern day NFL cornerbacks and can be beaten by a larger, outside receiver. John Dorsey himself has prioritized larger, more physical corners, and Bob Sutton likes to employ a lot of man coverage on the outside.
It remains to be seen whether the smaller, shiftier Alexander would be able to handle such a scheme. While Alexander is a talented player, and will be a cornerback for somebody, I’m not sure he fits into the Chiefs’ system. If he falls to 28, then go and draft him with a smile on your face Mr Dorsey, but don’t waste picks trading up.
Next: Going deeper...