Jaire Alexander

BIOGRAPHY

Jaire Zakar Alexander, born on February 9, 1997, in Philadelphia, is a professional American football cornerback currently playing for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Alexander’s football journey began early in life, moving to the Charlotte area as a small child. He attended Rocky River High School in Mint Hill, North Carolina, where he played football for the Ravens. Despite initially committing to the University of South Carolina, Alexander’s college football career took root at the University of Louisville.

From 2015 to 2017, Alexander played under the guidance of head coach Bobby Petrino for the Louisville Cardinals. Displaying impressive skills on the field, Alexander made 77 tackles and seven interceptions throughout his college career. These performances earned him the title of Second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2016 season. Opting to forego his senior year, Alexander decided to enter the 2018 NFL draft, also choosing not to participate in the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl due to enduring injury issues.

On December 22, 2017, Alexander formally announced his decision to step into the draft, skipping the TaxSlayer Bowl. This decision kicked off an intense period of preparation, leading him to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where he successfully completed all of the combine and positional drills. These accomplishments placed him among the top-rated prospects, with NFL analyst Mike Mayock ranking him as the top cornerback prospect in the draft. This assessment was also supported by DraftScout.com, placing him as the third best cornerback.

In the 2018 NFL draft, Alexander was selected in the first round by the Green Bay Packers. This moment marked a significant trade by the Packers, who exchanged their first, third, and sixth round picks for the Seattle Seahawks’ first, and seventh-round picks, to ensure Alexander’s acquisition. Following the draft, Alexander signed a four-year, $12.05 million contract, fully guaranteed, including a signing bonus of $6.84 million.

Having proven his worth, Alexander competed for the starting cornerback position against fellow team members Davon House, Tramon Williams, Kevin King, and Josh Jackson during training camp. Though initially named as the fourth cornerback on the depth chart, he soon made his mark in the Packers’ season opener against the Chicago Bears on September 30, 2018.

Throughout the season, Alexander continued to stand out. He recorded eight combined tackles and successfully intercepted a pass during a game against the Minnesota Vikings. Furthermore, he made his first career interception during a match against the Buffalo Bills, despite missing two games due to a groin injury. Following an impressive rookie season, Alexander was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

The 2019 season also saw Alexander excel with consistently high-level performances leading to interceptions against the Dallas Cowboys and the Bears. His steady performance ensured him a starting position in all regular-season games and both playoff games for the Packers. His statistics included 51 total tackles, two interceptions, 17 passes defended, and one forced fumble.

The 2020 season was a defining period for Alexander. He successfully sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins on two separate occasions and made an interception, helping the Packers secure a 43-34 victory. His exceptional performances made him a starter for the NFC in the Pro Bowl, ranked him as the NFL’s No.1 cornerback by Pro Football Focus, and placed him on the 2020 All-Pro Team second team. During the 2020-21 playoffs, he made headlines again by being the only cornerback since 2006 to allow negative yards in a playoff game.

2020 also saw some setbacks for Alexander. During the NFC Championship against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite intercepting two passes, the Packers succumbed to defeat with a score of 31-26. Following this, however, Alexander was ranked 41st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021.

2021 brought a series of ups and downs for Alexander. First, after suffering a shoulder injury, he was placed on injured reserve. However, he made a strong comeback, returned to practice, and was later reactivated. Following this, he was put on the COVID-19/reserve list, but was promptly cleared and returned to the game. Unfortunately, he missed the Packers’ final regular season game due to a lack of conditioning.

In 2022, the Packers exercised the fifth-year option on Alexander’s contract, guaranteeing him $13.3 million for the season. By May 2022, he signed a four-year, $84 million contract with the team, extending his stay with the Packers through to the 2026 season. The 2022 season ended with Alexander contributing 56 total tackles, five interceptions, and 14 passes defended. December saw him named to the 2023 Pro Bowl, and he was ranked 26th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.

However, 2023 was not without controversy. Following an incident where Alexander, who was not a designated team captain, took part in the coin toss and made a blunder with his call, causing potential strategic difficulties to his team during a game against the Carolina Panthers, he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. However, this setback has by no means diminished the remarkable career that Jaire Alexander continues to build in the NFL.