Washington Redskins: Target Mackensie Alexander in draft

The Washington Redskins need to find a way to improve their struggling secondary to be considered a legitimate playoff team, and I believe that they should look to the 2016 NFL draft to do so.

The Washington Redskins have operated with a subpar secondary for a number of years now, and it’s an aspect of their defense that must be upgraded if they are to develop into a perennial playoff contender. General manager Scot McCloughan added a number of players to the unit last offseason, but more work needs to be done for the Redskins to be considered a team that sports a fierce, reliable secondary.

Chris Culliver, Jeron Johnson, Dashon Goldson, and Will Blackmon were all free agent additions in 2015. Unfortunately, the team didn’t get much out of Culliver, as he went down with a season-ending injury. Dashon Goldson played well at times, but it’s obvious that he isn’t the long term solution for the team moving forward. The same goes for Blackmon and Johnson, as both players are just okay.

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Playing safety opposite of Goldson is DeAngelo Hall, a 32 year old corner turned safety. Like Goldson, Hall performed well and possesses strong leadership qualities. While experience and leadership are undoubtedly important traits, their worth starts to dilute once you factor in the age of the players in question. Perhaps the only long-term solution the Redskins have in the secondary is cornerback Bashaud Breeland, a 24-year-old cornerback that has continually made strides during his short time in the NFL.

Feb 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Clemson defensive back Mackensie Alexander speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

The Washington Redskins drafted Breeland in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. The 5-11, 197 pound cornerback, in my opinion, is the best player in the team’s secondary, and I believe that the team should consider drafting a player to play opposite of him early in the 2016 NFL draft. The player that jumps out at me is Mackensie Alexander, a cornerback that also played his college ball at Clemson.

Coming in at 5-11, 195 pounds, Alexander sports a frame very similar to that of Bashaud Breeland. Much like Breeland, Alexander plays his best ball when he has the opportunity to play man-to-man coverage, something that allows him to blanket opposing wideouts, rendering them virtually useless in the passing game.

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That type of play doesn’t always lead to strong statistical showings, as both players have failed to produce impressive interception totals – Alexander recorded zero interceptions during his two-year stint at Clemson (according to Sports-Reference.com).

While the type of play that Alexander and Breeland utilize doesn’t often produce interceptions by the boatload, it is something that can cause opposing quarterbacks to hold onto the football longer than they would like, which can lead to sacks and poor passes. Cover sacks are something that defensive coordinators crave, and I believe that pairing the Clemson products together would provide Washington with more opportunities to accumulate sacks in such a manner.

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If the Washington Redskins are going to field a competitive secondary moving forward, McCloughan will have to improve the state of the safety position. That being said, having a pair of reliable corners on the perimeter is a solid start.

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