With the selection of Adonis Alexander in the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft, there’s a chance he could play opposite Josh Norman for the Washington Redskins.
The Washington Redskins made the right move by adding depth to their secondary. They didn’t offer what it took to get Sam Beal, but they were able to land former Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander in the sixth round of the 2018 Supplemental Draft.
After trading Kendall Fuller to the Chiefs in the Alex Smith blockbuster, Washington was left with a void at corner. While they added some players via free agency and the draft, they were in need of a true boundary corner.
Alexander comes in as the best rookie cornerback currently on the Redskins roster. And there’s a chance he could wind up starting on the outside opposite of Josh Norman in 2018.
The roster isn’t loaded with depth at corner. Of course, there’s one of the best corners in the league in Norman. They also added former Cowboy Orlando Scandrick, who will compete for starter snaps.
Additionally, there’s the 2015 fifth-round pick Quinton Dunbar, who hasn’t been much help. Fabian Moreau will likely compete with Scandrick for the starting spot, but with his athleticism, speed, and quickness, he’d be a great fit inside. They have rookies like Greg Stroman, Ranthony Texada and Danny Johnson, but none of them possesses the tools that Alexander does.
Greg Manusky’s scheme in Washington is an aggressive hybrid 3-4 scheme that uses a lot of Cover-3 concepts — meaning, he sends a lot of his front seven at the quarterback and relies on his corners to play deep thirds or sit in specific zones. Most importantly for Alexander’s success, he relies on physicality at the line of scrimmage.
That coveted style of play is exactly Alexander is an ideal candidate for the position opposite Norman. Alexander is 6-3 and 195 pounds with long arms. He excels when asked to go press receivers at the line.
Additionally, he has great hip fluidity and does a solid job high pointing the ball. He’s a good run defender, who’ll gel well in Manusky’s system. Washington faces a number of huge pass-catching targets who Alexander can match up well against. In 2018, they’ll face tight ends Jimmy Graham (Packers) and Evan Ingram (Giants), in addition to wide receivers Alshon Jeffrey (Eagles), Devin Funchess (Panthers), and Mike Evans (Buccaneers).
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Alexander’s ability allows the Redskins to use him like a wild card. Because of his length, athleticism and press ability, he’ll work well on the boundary. However, he also plays well in off-man coverage. Either way, he’ll have a role on this defense right away.