Every year, there are a handful of players who really stand out during Senior Bowl week. That is certainly true of Toldeo defensive lineman Darius Alexander.
The underexposed Rockets DT emphatically outperformed several more heralded prospects from bigger conferences in Mobile. It left many of us scrambling back to watch more tape of Alexander.
It turns out, we probably should have seen the rising draft stock coming, though not necessarily to the level of potential first-rounder that is being touted in the wake of a truly majestic week for Alexander in Mobile.
Games watched: Mississippi State, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan, Ohio (2024 and 2023), Pittsburgh (bowl game at Ford Field), Illinois (2023), Senior Bowl practices (in person)
Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
- Measured in at 6-foot-3 ¾ and 304 pounds at the Senior Bowl
- Full-time player for the final three of his five seasons at Toledo
- 9.5 sacks and 21 TFLs in those final three seasons, though PFF grading has him for significantly higher unofficial totals
- Made Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” with a 400 lb bench press and a GPS-timed 20 MPH at over 310 pounds
- Age is unknown, but he was high school class of 2019 and redshirted his freshman season before playing five years for the Rockets
Positives
- Very athletic and twitchy for his size, and it looked even quicker after dropping around 10 pounds from his Toledo playing weight to the Senior Bowl
- Both weight-room strong and country strong in his lower body, core, and shoulders
- Good length and coordination
- Has proven success as a pass rusher in both the A and B gaps
- Very good eyes for the ball and quick-twitch reactions
- Can overpower blockers in the run game and steer the action into the hole
- Consistent gap and backside contain duties, and he can chase down and clean up away from the tackle box
- Played two of his best career games against Power 4 foes (Pittsburgh and Mississippi State)
Negatives
- Doesn’t have a developed countermove as a pass rusher if the initial plan doesn’t work
- Arms get too high when tackling, especially inside
- Doesn’t protect his chest consistently; quicker punches can rock him upright
- Did not consistently dominate against lower-level competition as would be expected for his athletic profile
- Inconsistent anchor in short-yardage situations; would rather shoot the gap
Overall
Alexander drew some preseason attention thanks to the presence of CB Quinyon Mitchell at Toledo in the last draft. Big No. 9 on the inside popped with his explosive athleticism and length. Toiling in the MAC, Alexander fell off the radar a bit before a spectacular pick-6 in Toledo’s bowl game against Pittsburgh in Ford Field set the table for a Senior Bowl appearance.
In Mobile, he and Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen were the most disruptive interior linemen throughout the week. Alexander’s burst off the snap, which was come-and-go at Toledo, clicked all week. He even showed enough athleticism to line up outside and win against tackles in 1-on-1 reps.
That’s the upside with Alexander: he’s got dominant athletic traits and can string together great, impactful plays in multiple gaps. Insanely few guys his size can move the way Alexander does and also play with the strength he can The drawback is that it didn’t always translate into dominance on the field, especially when facing craftier linemen whose technique doesn’t break down when stressed by Alexander’s ability.
He’s an older prospect, a six-year collegian, and his hand usage and inconsistent pad level haven’t really changed much since I saw Toledo play at Central Michigan in 2021. It’s hard to expect much more development, though there should still be some juice left to squeeze out of Alexander. His propensity for playing up to the level of competition is encouraging. It’s not that there was a lack of effort or will, not at all. But the fire did seem to burn a little hotter when bigger eyes were on Alexander.
As a Lions prospect, he’s a very easy fit into the Levi Onwuzurike (a pending free agent) role as a DT who slides between the 2i and 5-technique. Alexander is both bigger and faster than Onwuzurike, and he comes with a clean bill of health. Coming out of the Senior Bowl, Alexander is my No. 32 overall prospect.
If his athletic freakery shows at the NFL Scouting Combine, expect to see him being projected to go ahead of where the Lions pick at No. 28, though that’s far from a given. Hard to see him still being on the board beyond about pick No. 50 overall, however, and the Lions don’t pick until No. 60 in the second round. Very good player, good culture fit and (anticipated) scheme fit but in an awkward draft range (right now) for Detroit.