As Mackensie Alexander absorbed the South Florida warmth and humidity for a 3rd coaching camp follow with the Miami Dolphins this week, he was reminded on Thursday of the laborious work he needed to endure each working together with his mother and father in his youth and as a highschool soccer standout in Immokalee in comparable situations.
Alexander and his twin brother, Mackenro, gathered the whole lot from oranges to tomatoes on the fields of the agricultural Florida city simply southeast of Fort Myers for his working-class mother and father, who had been Haitian immigrants. It was commonplace for Alexander to should get up at 4 or 5 a.m. to spend the morning on the fields earlier than preparing for varsity.
It motivated him to see soccer as a method out of that life-style, and he made essentially the most of his alternatives at Immokalee Excessive, turning into a five-star recruit that performed for Clemson and ultimately grew to become a second-round decide of the Minnesota Vikings within the 2016 NFL draft.
Spending 5 of his six seasons with the Vikings and 2020 with the Cincinnati Bengals, Alexander was out there as a free agent this week when the Dolphins wanted a cornerback following Trill Williams’ placement on season-ending injured reserve. Already residing in South Florida within the offseason, the scenario lined up completely for Alexander to signal with the Dolphins.
“It’s an incredible alternative. I find it irresistible,” he stated, sweating profusely as he spoke with reporters following Thursday’s drills. “I’m again house. I’m excited. My household’s excited. My pals are excited. I’m like an hour away from house, so that is superb. I’m pleased. I’m having fun with this.”
Alexander is again within the area the place he first made his mark as a soccer recruit. He was rated the 2013 class’ No. 4 cornerback prospect, in response to the 247 Sports activities composite rankings, at Immokalee.
“In South Florida, it’s expertise,” stated Alexander, who remembers protecting NFL wideout Sammy Watkins at South Fort Myers Excessive earlier than they grew to become Clemson teammates for a yr. “You’re going in opposition to high guys within the league. I went in opposition to a bunch of receivers that went to D-I ball or, plenty of them, which are within the league proper now.”
Enjoying in South Florida, Alexander had two of his biggest staff achievements of his profession, one in highschool and one in school. Each concerned his groups reaching a championship sport. His Clemson Tigers defeated Oklahoma within the 2015 season’s Orange Bowl, a School Soccer Playoff semifinal at Laborious Rock Stadium earlier than falling to Alabama within the title sport. In 2012, his Immokalee staff topped Miami Jackson at historic Miami-Dade County highschool soccer venue Traz Powell Stadium within the Class 5A state semifinal earlier than dropping to Tallahassee Godby within the championship sport.
“Jackson had plenty of good receivers that yr too,” Alexander stated, reminiscing. “I keep in mind that, for certain. It was a shootout. It was a loopy sport.”
The Dolphins had been the hometown staff for Alexander rising up, and he remembers watching somewhat little bit of the cornerback mixture of Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain within the early 2000s. Madison and Surtain are actually assistant coaches on Miami’s workers.
A member of the identical draft class as Dolphins All-Professional cornerback Xavien Howard, Alexander stated the 2 have constructed a relationship just lately.
“We’ve had a bond since earlier than I received right here,” stated Alexander, who has 201 profession tackles, three interceptions 4 1/2 sacks and 32 move deflections in his six-year profession. “He was excited. He was in all probability one of many first guys that known as me, and he was really right here once I was understanding and stuff. He wished me right here.”
Recognized for his prominence protecting the slot in nickel defenses, Alexander may serve that position behind Nik Needham for the Dolphins ought to Miami stick to him. Coach Mike McDaniel, although, doesn’t need to field him into that class.
“The flexibility of inside and out of doors I feel is good for us,” McDaniel stated of Alexander. “I’ll by no means be 100% dedicated to, ‘OK, this man is barely this,’ at all times leaving the choices open absolutely understanding that he has expertise.”
Alexander is open to no matter is greatest for the protection.
“Wherever coach permits me to play and what he needs me to do, that’s the place I’ll be,” he stated.
Alexander has the backing of Dolphins defensive deal with Christian Wilkins, who had a yr in frequent with him at Clemson.
“He’s a great participant as a result of he went to Clemson, in order that’s No. 1,” Wilkins stated of Alexander Thursday. “I feel he’s a veteran presence on this staff now. He’s performed plenty of ball, performed plenty of good ball within the NFL. He’s a Florida boy. He’s going to return in and work. He’s a sensible participant.”
Alexander stated he and Wilkins will attempt to get Tigers coach Dabo Swinney to return all the way down to Miami for an image collectively.
Alexander defined he had alternatives to signal with different groups this offseason, however he wished to return to Miami.
“I like what they’re doing on protection right here. It’s house for me,” he stated.
Alexander’s twin brother, Mackenro, who was additionally closely recruited at Immokalee with him earlier than attending Iowa State following a junior school stint, is now an actor on Tyler Perry’s TV sequence “Sistas.”
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