NFL Draft Grades 2018: Green Bay Packers select Jaire Alexander at No. 18

The Green Bay Packers have started the rebuild of their secondary with their first round selection. Was Jaire Alexander the right pick though?

The Green Bay Packers secondary has been one of the team’s biggest problems in past years. This offseason started with them losing cornerback Damarious Randall. They added leadership, however, when they brought Tramon Williams back to the roster. Now they’ve given him the young talent to coach up in Jaire Alexander, who they selected at No. 18 in the 2018 NFL Draft

Alexander had a fantastic year for the University of Louisville in 2016. Last season saw injuries take away most of his season though. Alexander appeared in only six games, severally stunting his hype. That doesn’t mean the 21-year old is still a superb prospect though.

Alexander has some growing to do. He might not be an immediate impact on defense, but given time he could help change the landscape of the secondary. With limited playing time, and learning under the experience and knowledge of Williams the young defensive back should make strides in coverage.

At the same time, the Green Bay secondary is far from loaded. This will prevent Alexander from being “buried” under a slew of talent when he’s actually ready to play.

While he’s learning on defense, Alexander can still be extremely helpful for the Packers. His first two years in college saw the cornerback as a dangerous punt returner. This included a return touchdown during his sophomore campaign. Alexander only had one return last season, but this had to do more with his injuries than anything else.

In the end, Jaire Alexander has excellent ball-skills and is improving in coverage. Given time to mature under a seasoned veteran like Tramon Williams will only make him better. He might not be an immediate fix for the Packers secondary, but within a few years, this could be proven as a perfect fit for both sides.

Grade: B

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