Mackensie Alexander facts for kids
Alexander with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 12, 1993 Naples, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 192 lb (87 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Immokalee (Immokalee, Florida) |
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| College: | Clemson (2013–2015) | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2016 / Round: 2 / Pick: 54 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Mackensie Alexander (born November 12, 1993) is an American former professional football player. He played as a cornerback, which is a defensive position. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers.
After taking a "redshirt" year (meaning he practiced but didn't play in games) in his first season, he became a key player on the Tigers' defense. He earned honors as a Freshman All-American. In his second season, he was a big part of Clemson's defense, which was one of the best in college football. Alexander was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Early Life and High School Sports
Mackensie Alexander was born in Naples, Florida, on November 12, 1993. He has an identical twin brother named Mackenro. Their parents, Jean and Marie Alexandre, are from Haiti.
High School Football Success
Alexander went to Immokalee High School. In 2012, during his senior year, he made 42 tackles and caught three interceptions. He helped his team, the Immokalee Indians, reach the Florida 5A state championship game. They finished the season with a strong record of 11 wins and 4 losses.
He was chosen as an all-state player in 2012. During his time with the Indians, Alexander made a total of 139 tackles and 10 interceptions. After his senior season, he was picked to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.
Other High School Sports
Besides football, Alexander was also a talented athlete in other sports.
- In wrestling, he was ranked 11th in Florida for his weight class during his senior year.
- In track & field, he was a sprinter. He ran the 100-meter dash in 10.8 seconds.
- In 2012, he ran the 400-meter dash in 50.39 seconds, winning first place at the Collier County Athletic Championships.
- He also won gold in the 200-meter dash at the Bear Run Invitational with a time of 22.44 seconds.
Becoming a Top Recruit
Experts saw Alexander as a top football player coming out of high school.
- Rivals.com rated him as a four-star recruit. They said he was the 7th best defensive back in the country.
- ESPN rated him even higher, as a five-star recruit. They called him the fourth best player overall in the nation.
- Scout.com described him as a very confident player who wanted to stop the best wide receivers.
Alexander decided to play college football at Clemson University. He was one of the most sought-after players to join Clemson at that time.
College Football Career
Alexander's college career at Clemson was very successful.
Freshman Year (2014)
Alexander had a groin injury before the 2013 season, so he took a "medical red-shirt" year. This meant he could recover and still have four years of playing eligibility.
In 2014, as a redshirt freshman, he became the first freshman cornerback to start all 13 games for the Tigers. He made 21 tackles and helped break up six passes. Quarterbacks only completed 20 out of 57 passes thrown at receivers he was covering. For his great play, he was named a Freshman All-American.
Sophomore Year (2015)
Alexander returned as a starter in 2015. He was named to important award watch lists before the season began. He had an amazing season for the Tigers, who went 14–1 and reached the National Championship game. He earned All-ACC honors.
He was known for shutting down receivers, meaning he didn't let them catch many passes. No receiver gained 100 yards against him, and he didn't allow any passing touchdowns all season. He got a hamstring injury in the College Football Playoff Semifinal. He tried to play through it in the championship game against Alabama, but the injury got worse, and he couldn't finish the game.
On January 13, 2016, Alexander announced he would leave college early to enter the NFL draft. He said it was a tough decision but that he felt he had done everything he could in college.
College Statistics
| Regular season statistics | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
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| Season | Team | GP | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | Tfl | PDef | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TDs | FF | FR | FR YDS |
| 2014 | Clemson | 10 | 10 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | Clemson | 13 | 13 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 23 | 23 | 44 | 33 | 11 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Professional Football Career
Mackensie Alexander began his professional career in 2016.
Joining the Minnesota Vikings (First Time)
The Minnesota Vikings chose Alexander in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was the 54th player picked overall. On May 5, 2016, he signed a four-year contract with the Vikings.
Alexander joined a strong group of cornerbacks on the team. He competed for a spot as a "nickelback," a player who covers slot receivers. The head coach, Mike Zimmer, named Alexander the fifth cornerback on the team's depth chart.
He played his first professional game in the Vikings' win against the Titans. In Week 10, he made a season-high three tackles. He missed some games due to injuries, including a groin injury and an abdominal injury. He finished his first season in 2016 with five tackles in 13 games, mostly playing on special teams.
2017 Season
In 2017, Alexander became the main "nickelback" for the Vikings. He was also the fourth cornerback on the team.
On November 12, 2017, Alexander had a great game against the Washington Redskins. He made three tackles, broke up two passes, and caught his first career interception. He intercepted a pass from Redskins' quarterback Kirk Cousins. He finished the season with 17 tackles, six pass deflections, and one interception in 14 games.
The Vikings had a great season, finishing first in their division with a 13–3 record. They made it to the playoffs. Alexander played in his first playoff game, making one tackle and one pass deflection against the Saints. The Vikings were later eliminated by the Philadelphia Eagles, who went on to win the Super Bowl.
2018 Season
Alexander continued as the main "nickelback" for the Vikings in 2018. He missed the first game due to an ankle injury. On September 16, 2018, he started his first career game. He made seven tackles and got his first career sack against Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers.
2019 Season
In 2019, Alexander played as the Vikings' slot cornerback. He played in 13 games and started four of them. He recorded 38 tackles, half a sack, five passes defended, and one interception. He was placed on injured reserve in January 2020.
Cincinnati Bengals
On March 30, 2020, Alexander signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.
In Week 15 against the Steelers, Alexander caught his first interception as a Bengal. He intercepted a pass from Ben Roethlisberger during a 27–17 win.
Minnesota Vikings (Second Time)
On March 29, 2021, Alexander signed with the Vikings again. He played in all 16 games that season, starting 5 of them. He was not re-signed by the team after the season ended.
Miami Dolphins
On August 15, 2022, Alexander signed with the Miami Dolphins. He was later placed on injured reserve and then released with an injury settlement.
Dallas Cowboys
On December 6, 2022, Alexander joined the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys. He was brought in to help the team after another cornerback was injured. He was reunited with his former Clemson and Vikings teammate, Jayron Kearse. On December 23, 2022, he was moved to the active roster. On January 19, 2023, he was placed on the injured reserve list. He was released by the Cowboys on January 30, 2023.
