Green Bay Packers: Jaire Alexander has risen to elite tier

Second-year Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexanders was expected to make a leap in 2019 and he’s unequivocally done just that, reaching an elite tier.

The argument could be made that the Green Bay Packers really began their defensive makeover in the 2018 NFL Draft. While they used two first-round picks in 2019 on Rashan Gary and Darnell Savage and also signed Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Adrian Amos in free agency, the also used their first-round pick the previous year on cornerback Jaire Alexander.

Alexander, like many rookies, had his share of ups and downs as a rookie. The Louisville product made some big plays but also gave up some in return. As the year progressed, however, he started to show signs of a being a true No. 1 cornerback, matching up with opposing teams’ best wide receiver.

Because of his development over the course of one season, big things were expected of Alexander in year two. Not only was he predicted to progress as a player but the aforementioned additions on the defense around him would help the cause as well. And through four games, that’s indeed been the case.

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Jaire Alexander has looked the part of an elite NFL cornerback to begin the 2019 season. In fact, the Packers defensive back was named to Pro Football Focus’ first-quarter All-Pro Team, where they said the following:

"Jaire Alexander may be the NFL’s next shutdown cornerback. He currently leads all cornerbacks targeted 15 or more times this season in coverage grade (88.3) and forced incompletion percentage (33.3%)."

The forced incompletion percentage is what stands out regarding Alexander. Watching him live, that’s what you see with how he’s playing. Because he’s tasked with tough matchups, opposing offenses still throw at him. However, his ability to cover is so strong that he’s able to break up the play one-third of the time. That’s the mark of an elite player to not only be able to stick with his man but to also be able to break the play as well.

What’s interesting about Alexander’s performance thus far is the fact that he doesn’t have an interception on the 2019 season after having just one last season. And while you’d like to see him create turnovers (though he does have a forced fumble), he’s still making plays. After all, the second-year player has six pass defenses already after having 11 all of last season.

En route to their 3-1 start to the season, it’s been clear that the Packers have established a new identity with their rebuild defense. Yes, the new additions in 2019 are a big factor in that but Alexander’s elite performance should not be overlooked in the slightest.

Of course, the other mark of an elite player is consistency. Considering that the Packers have only played four games to this point, Alexander still has three-quarters of the season to continue this level of play. But considering the signs he displayed as a rookie and what he’s shown already this season, it’s safe to say that you can start putting Jaire Alexander among the top cornerbacks in the NFL.