Rufus Alexander

[patmoran2006]

If the Bills are really moving Crowell to MLB for 2007, then I think that this guy is the absolute perfect player to select in round two.

* He's tailor-made for a cover two defense, much like a Cato June.
* Would allow us to address elsewhere in round one.

Rufus Alexander
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/alexander_rufus

Positives: Has lean upper-body muscle development with long arms, tight waist and hip and room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk without it impacting his overall quickness … Move-oriented type of tackler who is better making plays in space than when stationed at the line of scrimmage … Very active moving down the line, showing the loose hips and lateral range to pursue long distances in attempts to make the play … Has a good feel for plays in front of him and works hard to avoid and slip through single blocks to create havoc in the backfield

Negatives: Lacks the bulk or raw power to split double teams or bull rush when working in-line … Plays with good urgency, but his motor will shut down at times, especially on plays directed away from him … Lacks great ball anticipation skills and is slow to locate the ball at times when working through trash

Compares To: Ian Gold, Denver -- Put Alexander in a Cover-2 defense, where he will play in space and utilize his speed, and you will have a very effective player on the weak side … Some compare him to Derrick Brooks, but while he has that closing speed, he lacks the instincts and feel for the ball that Brooks displays … He could make like Seattle's Michael Boulware and shift to safety at the next level to compensate for a lack of bulk … He is best served playing on the move, as his recovery speed lets him make up for a lack of superb field awareness.

[Slim]

He's who i've wanted. I see him going to us in the 3rd in alot of mock drafts.. Could he drop that far?

[patmoran2006]

I would be absolutely SHOCKED if he lasted until the third round.

[justasportsfan]

Negatives: Lacks the bulk or raw power to split double teams or bull rush when working in-line ….


How does that fix the running D ?

[patmoran2006]

If you're going to run a cover two defense, then you have to have players that equipt to playing it.

Having a STUD front four fixes the run defense.. Marv eff'd up by giving Tripplett $18 million and drafting McCargo in the first round (til this point)...He also resigned Kelsay this offseason.

YOu want to fix the run defense; PRAY they get better. Othewise, Marv's personnel choices simply sucked..

if you want a bunch of bullrush guys, and guys like Ngata's upfront;;; that's fine.. Then dont waste your time trying to run a cover two.

[Slim]

I would be absolutely SHOCKED if he lasted until the third round.

There are alot of good Lb's coming out this year though with Willis, Beason, Poz,Timmons being the front runners. But after that theres still Bradley,Siler, Harris, Alexander and Buster Davis. Thats a good amount of Linebacker to go around.

[patmoran2006]

There are alot of good Lb's coming out this year though with Willis, Beason, Poz,Timmons being the front runners. But after that theres still Bradley,Siler, Harris, Alexander and Buster Davis. Thats ALOT of Linebacker to go around.
Not that it means a lot, but NFLdraftscout.com has him ranked 4th among OLB's--behind Timmons, Palsy Posluszny and Beason.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6421586

[alohabillsfan]

How does that fix the running D ?

They (OBD) already started fixing the run defense!

[TigerJ]

Is there any explanation for Alexander's lousy 40 time at the combine? He's supposed to be fast, but ran a pedestrian 4.79 at the combine.

[ShadowHawk7]

Beason is the real prize if he's somehow available on our early 2nd, but Alexander IS a nice consolation prize to say the least.

[acehole]

Love this guy but he seems to be to high for one pick and 2 low for the other..


If the Bills are really moving Crowell to MLB for 2007, then I think that this guy is the absolute perfect player to select in round two.

* He's tailor-made for a cover two defense, much like a Cato June.
* Would allow us to address elsewhere in round one.

Rufus Alexander
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/alexander_rufus

Positives: Has lean upper-body muscle development with long arms, tight waist and hip and room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk without it impacting his overall quickness … Move-oriented type of tackler who is better making plays in space than when stationed at the line of scrimmage … Very active moving down the line, showing the loose hips and lateral range to pursue long distances in attempts to make the play … Has a good feel for plays in front of him and works hard to avoid and slip through single blocks to create havoc in the backfield

Negatives: Lacks the bulk or raw power to split double teams or bull rush when working in-line … Plays with good urgency, but his motor will shut down at times, especially on plays directed away from him … Lacks great ball anticipation skills and is slow to locate the ball at times when working through trash

Compares To: Ian Gold, Denver -- Put Alexander in a Cover-2 defense, where he will play in space and utilize his speed, and you will have a very effective player on the weak side … Some compare him to Derrick Brooks, but while he has that closing speed, he lacks the instincts and feel for the ball that Brooks displays … He could make like Seattle's Michael Boulware and shift to safety at the next level to compensate for a lack of bulk … He is best served playing on the move, as his recovery speed lets him make up for a lack of superb field awareness.

[acehole]

If the Bills are really moving Crowell to MLB for 2007, then I think that this guy is the absolute perfect player to select in round two.

* He's tailor-made for a cover two defense, much like a Cato June.
* Would allow us to address elsewhere in round one.

Rufus Alexander
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/alexander_rufus

Positives: Has lean upper-body muscle development with long arms, tight waist and hip and room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk without it impacting his overall quickness … Move-oriented type of tackler who is better making plays in space than when stationed at the line of scrimmage … Very active moving down the line, showing the loose hips and lateral range to pursue long distances in attempts to make the play … Has a good feel for plays in front of him and works hard to avoid and slip through single blocks to create havoc in the backfield

Negatives: Lacks the bulk or raw power to split double teams or bull rush when working in-line … Plays with good urgency, but his motor will shut down at times, especially on plays directed away from him … Lacks great ball anticipation skills and is slow to locate the ball at times when working through trash

Compares To: Ian Gold, Denver -- Put Alexander in a Cover-2 defense, where he will play in space and utilize his speed, and you will have a very effective player on the weak side … Some compare him to Derrick Brooks, but while he has that closing speed, he lacks the instincts and feel for the ball that Brooks displays … He could make like Seattle's Michael Boulware and shift to safety at the next level to compensate for a lack of bulk … He is best served playing on the move, as his recovery speed lets him make up for a lack of superb field awareness.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

If the Bills draft Okoye or Branch at # 12 (I hope they do not take a RB there and would be a bit disappointed if they do), I would be delighted to see them end up with Rufus Alexander in Round 2.

Beason may have all of the measurables and scouts may see him as being a better pro, but I have to wonder why he was not as productive and dominant as Alexander in college. Similarly, while I really loved Posluzny before his injury and he has all of the intangibles that you could want, he wasn't the same player after his injury that he was before--he seemed slower--and I have to wonder if, after having moved to MLB, he has the speed to be the kind of dominant OLB that he was before he got hurt.

Don't get me wrong, Beason and Posluzny are both fine prospects and I will trust Marv and Co. to be better able to decide which one would be better for the Bills. But, from what I saw, Alexander is a player--a guy who is very productive and always around the ball. A play-maker. And, I believe that the Bills need to get another play-making LB--either a MLB like Willis or an OLB like Alexander--especially with all the questions about Spikes' health and whether the Bills will be able to keep him.

The only question that I have about Alexander is his pedigree, coming from Oklahoma. There have been a number of Oklahoma LBs in recent years who have looked great in college, but who have not been nearly as good in the NFL. That is a concern for me. I don't question Alexander's speed because, his Combine time aside, he plays fast and I've seen my share of similarly omnipresent college LBs who ran slow 40 times go on to be terrific players in the NFL (Z.Thomas for one). Also, Willis, Alexander and Posluzny were the First Team All-American LBs--and that should say something about Alexander's ability and productivity, at least on the college level. So, again, the only question I have is whether some of that was a product of the system at Oklahoma or not. But, from what I saw of him in college, I think he is going to be a heck of a player in the pros.

[Saratoga Slim]

If you're going to run a cover two defense, then you have to have players that equipt to playing it.

Having a STUD front four fixes the run defense.. Marv eff'd up by giving Tripplett $18 million and drafting McCargo in the first round (til this point)...He also resigned Kelsay this offseason.

YOu want to fix the run defense; PRAY they get better. Othewise, Marv's personnel choices simply sucked..

if you want a bunch of bullrush guys, and guys like Ngata's upfront;;; that's fine.. Then dont waste your time trying to run a cover two.
Everyone was pretty stoked about the Triplett signing when it happened. He seemed like a perfect fit at the time. May still be.

[Michael82]

I like Rufus too, but I don't see him there by our 2nd rounder. Unless we trade up like last year.

[ShadowHawk7]

He should be there. Beason and Siler perhaps not, but Alexander should be there. Having said that, I'd still like Willis at 12 instead. But boy oh boy, if we could somehow come away with Peterson and then Beason/Alexander, followed up by a DT and a WR/CB in the 3rd, I'd be ready to jump on the playoff bandwagon. April 28 can't come soon enough.