June 02, 2018

Should the Eagles have interest in talented CB in the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft?

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, former Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander is expected to enter the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft after he was dismissed from the team this spring.

Former Virginia Tech CB Adonis Alexander is expected to enter the NFL supplemental draft, sources say. Lot of off-field issues for teams to sort through, but he’s 6-3, talented, raw but high upside … should get picked.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 1, 2018

The NFL Supplemental Draft occurs every year (typically in July) for players whose circumstances changed their college football eligibility since the main NFL Draft. For example, in 2012, a notable player taken in the supplemental draft was WR Josh Gordon, who failed a drug test at Baylor and was dismissed from the team.

The Eagles found perhaps the best supplemental draft pick of all time in 1987, when they nabbed Cris Carter in the 4th round.

Alexander has played some safety in addition to corner for Virginia Tech. As a freshman in 2015, he had 55 tackles and four interceptions, though his production fell off some in 2016 (44 tackles and 2 picks in 13 games) and 2017 (27 tackles and 1 pick in 8 games). Here's a highlight reel. Use your mute button liberally.

Alexander is a tall (6'3, 193), athletic corner with ball skills who is not afraid to stick his nose in and make tackles. However, as with most supplemental draft entrants, he comes with serious character concerns.

In 2016, he was suspended for Virginia Tech's opener after being busted for possession of marijuana. During the season in 2017, Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente had him stay home for at least one game for 'not living up to' VT's expectations.

"We will continue to uphold the exemplary standards of Virginia Tech football," Fuente said. "Integrity, trust and teamwork remain the foundation of this program and that will not change.
"Adonis has not lived up to our expectations at Virginia Tech. He will continue practicing and participating in team activities. Our staff will continue to monitor his progress and evaluate his progress going forward."

This spring, Fuentes dismissed Alexander from the team for academic reasons, according to The Roanoke Times.

Oof.

A couple months ago, the Eagles took a shot on another tall corner with character concerns, when they traded Torrey Smith for Daryl Worley. That was worth the small risk, though it did not work out, as Worley was quickly released because he was arrested shortly after joining the team.

To note, the supplemental draft goes round-by-round, and teams lose a draft pick in the corresponding round of the following year's regular draft if they bid on, and are awarded, a player. In other words, when the Browns selected Gordon in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft, they lost their second round pick in the regular 2013 NFL Draft.

Seeing as the Eagles had just five draft picks in 2018, and are projected to have an abundance of them in 2019, it could make some sense for them to bid on Alexander with a late round pick.