The versatility of LA Rams defensive back Adonis Alexander

The LA Rams overlooked player on defense is defensive back Adonis Alexander, who can play both cornerback and safety for the Rams

LA Rams defensive back Adonis Alexander may not be a household name for fans yet. In fact, the 6-foot-3 207-pound defensive back from the Virginia Tech Hokies may not even be known by some Rams fans as a player on the team.  After all, the young man was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 2018 supplemental draft.  After that, he remained on the Redskins practice squad until November 2019. That is when the LA Rams began trading away defensive backs to clear salary cap to trade for CB Jalen Ramsey.

And that is when the Rams needed reinforcements at the defensive back position.

Alexander arrived at the Rams as an insurance policy in 2019. He was the practice squad replacement to fill the void of then promoted CB Donte Deayon. Deayon has since been re-signed to the Rams roster, likely adding to the depth after the Rams opted out of the last contract year of Nickell Robey-Coleman.

In the new scheme of defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, Adonis Alexander may be in for a bit of a promotion.  Since the new philosophy is versatility and disguised defenses, Alexander’s ability to play either safety, cornerback or slot cornerback is vital. His height of 6-foot-3 makes him an ideal height to defend tight ends or tall receivers, and his tenure of two seasons with NFL team has simply added to his expertise.

While some have labeled cornerback as a need in the 2020 NFL Draft, I’m not convinced it’s a urgent as originally thought. After all, Alexander was originally projected as a third or fourth-round prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft but eventually entered the NFL via the 2018 supplemental draft. The Rams have not had an opportunity to see his play, but when fans see what he can do, they’ll truly love his physicality.

Many of the 2020 NFL Draft defensive backs are talented but have to endure the transition to the NFL to grow. Alexander has made the jump from college to pros and will be ready to make his mark in the Rams defense this year. The Rams may have space at the defensive back position for more players. But Alexander will be someone to watch for on the Rams roster in 2020.