Should the Redskins select Adonis Alexander in the Supplemental Draft?

Remember when I said the Redskins should stay out of the NFL Supplemental Draft? I’m willing to make a conditional exception.

There are three big ticket defensive backs available in the Supplemental Draft this year: Western Michigan CB Sam Beal, Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant, and Virginia Tech defensive back Adonis Alexander.

Of the three, Alexander is the one who has most often been tied to the Washington Redskins. He went to a college in the area, he played with current Redskins Greg Stroman and Tim Settle, and for one year, his most productive year in college, he worked under the tutelage of Torrian Gray.

Many have connected the dots and pegged Alexander as the most likely pick for the Washington Redskins. The Redskins’ ESPN reporter John Keim had this to say about the potential of picking Alexander, in response to a question on Twitter:

The Redskins didn’t talk to Adonis Alexander at his Pro Day workout, but there could be mutual interest, regardless. Alexander doesn’t have top-end speed, but for his height (somewhere between 6-foot-2 and 6-foot-3), he’s a fast, rangy player on the back end. He’s quick and physical with his hands, which makes him not only a good tackler, but solid in press coverage as well.

Alexander needs to work on polishing his game, but there are traits to like, his size and athleticism at the top of the list. It’s worth noting that he was most productive in his lone year with Torrian Gray at Virginia Tech. That was also the lone year that he was used as a safety. A move back to the position could bode well for him, or the Redskins could use him as a versatile chess piece in the secondary.

Provided, this is if Adonis Alexander checks out, from a mental standpoint. Torrian Gray knows him better than most coaches across the league, as he has hands-on experience. And in an interview with Eric Galko of Sporting News, Alexander owned up to his academic failings, and admitted that an inflated ego cultivated by his early success led to his slipping (Additionally, Alexander also states in the interview that he wants to meet with current Redskins tackle Morgan Moses to help with his charity for college athletes).

It takes a person of character to acknowledge their faults and go into such detail, as opposed to dismissing the past and failing to learn from it. Alexander states in the interview that he has grown from the ordeal, and reuniting him with Gray, Stroman, and Settle could prove to not only be harmless, but a benefit for his continued development, as both a person and a player.

Next: Scouting Virginia Tech DB Adonis Alexander

That is my condition. If Alexander checks out, and the team knows he won’t be of detriment to the current chemistry, then it wouldn’t hurt to put in a claim for him in Round 4 or 5. He has promising traits, and back with Torrian Gray again, he could flourish in the right role. If not, then it’s best to keep things the way they are.