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When talking about the NFL's best cornerbacks, you usually hear the likes of Patrick Peterson, Jalen Ramsey, and Stephon Gilmore—among others. One name that may be added to the list very soon is Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers selected Alexander with the 18th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. Green Bay knew they had something special in the Louisville product and it showed in 2018.
The young cornerback would start in 11 games in his rookie season with the Packers. In those 11 games, Alexander had 55 total tackles, one interception, 11 pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries.
Alexander showcased his potential to be an elite cornerback in the NFL in the near future. The near future could mean 2019 for the second-year cornerback.
There are a few performances that stood out for Alexander in 2018 but the one that really sticks out is the one he had against the Los Angeles Rams. When the game kicked off, Alexander knew he was going to be in for a challenge, covering the likes of Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods.
Although, Alexander was up for the challenge and showed he can hold his ground with the league's best. The Packers cornerback had five pass breakups and allowed Cooks to only get three catches for 74 yards in the game.
Do you want to know what makes his outing even more impressive? Alexander missed the previous two games due to a groin injury. So Alexander was able to keep up with Cooks on an injured groin? Not too bad for a rookie.
Most of the cornerbacks who have been in the NFL for years are unable to contain Cooks. Therefore, with everything considered, Alexander had a breakout performance against the Rams.
Cornerback is one of the hardest positions to play in the NFL. But Alexander made it look relatively easy against Los Angeles.
People raved about the performance from the rookie cornerback although the Packers lost the game. A future superstar was born right there in Hollywood in Week 7 of the 2018 season.
The Packers now know they have a potentially elite cornerback that resides on their roster. Alexander figures to slot in as the number one cornerback on the depth chart in 2019.
What makes Alexander so good is his quick instincts and athleticism. Both are traits that help make a star cornerback in the NFL. You could have athleticism but if you don't have the ability to read an offense, the athleticism will do nothing for you.
Alexander has the whole package in what you would want in a cornerback—maybe besides size. At 5-foot-1o, Alexander may not be the biggest cornerback but his other skills more than make up for his height.
Teams now know about Alexander to a certain extent so it will be interesting to see how he responds to that. On the other hand, he has another offseason to continue perfecting his skill set as a cornerback.
Nonetheless, people should be paying attention to the Packers young cornerback more closely. Because there may be a new cornerback joining the elite club of corners in the NFL in the upcoming season.
If 2018 was his so-called breakout season, then 2019 is the year that Alexander cements himself as one of the best at his craft.
Once Alexander puts his cleats on again, he'll be ready to show that last season wasn't a fluke—it's just the beginning of something great.
