Derrick Alexander (wide receiver) facts for kids

Derrick Scott Alexander (born November 6, 1971) is an American college football coach and former professional player. He is currently the head football coach for Avila University. He started this job in 2023. Before coaching, he played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL).

Alexander played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1989 to 1993. He was named first-team All-Big Ten in both 1992 and 1993. The Cleveland Browns picked him in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft. He played nine seasons in the NFL. He played for the Cleveland Browns (1994–1995), Baltimore Ravens (1996–1997), Kansas City Chiefs (1998–2001), and Minnesota Vikings (2002). In 2000, he set a Kansas City Chiefs record. He gained 1,391 receiving yards in one season.

Derrick Alexander's Early Life and Sports

Alexander was born in Detroit in 1971. He went to Benedictine High School. There, he played football, basketball, track, and baseball. In basketball, he scored about 19 points per game. In track, he was very fast. He won the Michigan championship in the 200-meter race. He also won the 100-meter sprint.

Alexander's mother, Marion, wanted him to play many sports. She believed it would keep him out of trouble. In football, he played many positions. He was a running back, wide receiver, and safety. He also returned punts and kickoffs. In his senior year, he ran for 877 yards. He also caught 40 passes for over 1,000 yards. After high school, he was named a top player in Michigan. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. He chose to play for the University of Michigan in 1989.

Playing College Football at Michigan

Starting Out at Michigan (1989–1991)

Derrick Alexander joined the University of Michigan in 1989. As a freshman, he caught six passes. He gained 107 yards and scored one touchdown. Before his second year, he got Michigan's special No. 1 jersey. This jersey was given to the team's best receivers. He played well, catching 31 passes for 450 yards. He also scored six touchdowns.

In 1991, Alexander got a serious knee injury. He tore a ligament in his left knee. He had surgery and missed the rest of the season.

Amazing Comeback in 1992

Alexander returned to play in 1992 after his injury. He had a fantastic season. He caught 50 passes for 740 yards. He also scored 11 receiving touchdowns. He even ran for 60 yards and a touchdown. He was also great at returning punts. He returned 26 punts for an average of 14.3 yards. He scored two touchdowns from punt returns.

In one game against Minnesota, he caught seven passes. He gained 130 yards and set a Michigan record. He scored four touchdown catches in that single game. Because of his great play, he was named a first-team All-Big Ten player. He was also chosen for the All-America team.

Senior Year Success (1993)

In his final year at Michigan in 1993, he continued to play well. He caught 35 passes for 621 yards. He scored four touchdowns. He also returned 16 punts for two more touchdowns.

In a game against Illinois, he caught seven passes for 188 yards. He scored two touchdowns. One of his catches was for 90 yards. This was the longest touchdown catch in Michigan history for many years. In his last game for Michigan, he returned a punt for a touchdown. This was the first time a Michigan player had done this in a bowl game.

Michigan Career Highlights

Derrick Alexander played 44 games for Michigan. He caught 125 passes for 1,977 yards. He scored 22 touchdowns. He also returned 42 punts for 534 yards. He scored four touchdowns from punt returns.

Derrick Alexander's NFL Career

Starting with the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns picked Derrick Alexander in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft. He was the 29th player chosen overall. As a rookie, he led the Browns with 48 catches. He gained 828 yards. The 1994 Browns team had a good season. They won 11 games and lost 5. After his first year, Alexander was named to the 1994 NFL All-Rookie Team.

In 1995, Alexander didn't play as much. He caught 15 passes for 216 yards. He scored one touchdown on a 69-yard punt return.

Moving to the Baltimore Ravens

After the 1995 season, the Browns team moved to Baltimore. They became the Ravens. With a new coach, Alexander became a starter again. In 1996, he caught 62 passes for 1,099 yards. He averaged 17.7 yards per catch, which was one of the best in the NFL. In one game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he caught seven passes for 198 yards. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

In 1997, Alexander had another great season. He gained over 1,000 receiving yards again. He also had the longest catch in the NFL that year. It was a 92-yard touchdown catch against the Seattle Seahawks. For a while, he held several Ravens team records. These included most 100-yard receiving games and the longest pass reception.

Playing for the Kansas City Chiefs

In 1998, Alexander signed a big contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. He joined his college quarterback, Elvis Grbac, there. In 1998, Alexander led the Chiefs with 992 receiving yards. He averaged 18.4 yards per catch. In 1999, he played in 15 games. He caught 54 passes for 832 yards.

The year 2000 was Alexander's best NFL season. He played in all 16 games. He caught 74 passes for 1,391 yards. He scored 10 touchdowns. His 1,391 receiving yards set a new Chiefs single-season record. This record stood until 2018. In 2001, an Achilles injury affected his play. He finished the season with 27 catches for 470 yards.

Time with the Minnesota Vikings

In 2002, Alexander signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. In November, he tore a ligament in his left knee again. He had surgery and missed the rest of the season. He finished the year with 14 catches for 134 yards and one touchdown. He tried to come back in 2003 but was released by the Vikings.

Retiring from the NFL

On July 22, 2005, Derrick Alexander signed a special one-day contract. He signed it with the Chiefs so he could retire as a Chief. He played in 126 NFL games during his career. He caught 417 passes for 6,971 yards. He scored 40 touchdowns. He also had 210 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He even returned a punt for a touchdown.

Derrick Alexander's Coaching Career

After his playing days, Alexander worked in technology for a few years. Then, he decided to become a football coach. In 2015, he coached wide receivers at Wilmington College. From 2016 to 2018, he was an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Avila University.

In 2019, he became an assistant coach at Morgan State University. He was the pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach there. In 2023, Avila University hired Derrick Alexander to be their head football coach.

See also

• Lists of Michigan Wolverines football receiving leaders