Adonis Alexander has an NFL home. With their pick in the sixth round, the Redskins selected the talented Virginia Tech cornerback.
Alexander’s length, balls skills, and arm size (over 32 inches) caught the attention of evaluators this year. Although he does not come with the same hype as Western Michigan’s Sam Beal, he has the potential to be a contributor in his own right.
At 6’3″ and 207 pounds, Alexander offers tremendous size. He also has experience in zone coverage schemes thanks to his time at Virginia Tech.
The Redskins project to use Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, and newcomer Orlando Scandrick as their top three cornerbacks. Alexander figures to slot somewhere behind them, provided that he makes the final cut. The Redskins also have 2017 third-round pick Fabian Moreau, seventh-round rookie Greg Stroman, and Joshua Holsey under contract.
As a freshman in 2015, Alexander impressed scouts as he intercepted four passes at the safety position. He followed up with a strong sophomore campaign, but he found himself at odds with coaches in 2017 and was hit with a two-game ban for not living up to the “expectations” of head coach Justin Fuente. He was also held back by a hamstring injury suffered in November.
Had he entered the 2019 NFL draft, Alexander would have had a shot at going in the first two rounds. The Redskins see Alexander as a high-value addition who is well worth the forfeiture of their sixth-round pick next year.