Zy Alexander CB LSU | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Zy Alexander CB LSU
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/19/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.50 seconds (48%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | |
| Last Updated: 02/19/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.50 seconds (48%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 85.4 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 68.2 | |
| Tackling: |
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96% |
| Run Defense: |
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82% |
| Coverage: |
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88% |
| Zone: |
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81% |
| Man/Press: |
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87% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#56
Position rank:
#10
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| College Games: 50 College Snaps: 2491 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Martin Emerson - Mississippi State |
|
95% |
| Julius Brents - Kansas State |
|
83% |
| Dwight McGlothern - Arkansas |
|
79% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A small-town Louisiana product who played quarterback, receiver, and safety in high school, Zy Alexander took the road less traveled to become one of the more intriguing cornerback prospects in this draft class. After going unranked as a recruit, Alexander landed at Southeastern Louisiana where he quickly established himself as an FCS standout, earning All-American honors in 2021 after picking off six passes. His dominant play at the FCS level earned him a shot with LSU, where he smoothly transitioned to SEC competition as a two-year starter before declaring for the NFL Draft.The 6'2", 194-pound corner brings an aggressive mentality to the field that shows up in both coverage and run support. Despite suffering a season-ending ACL injury midway through 2023, Alexander bounced back strong in 2024, starting 10 games and showing no lingering effects while tallying 33 tackles and two clutch interceptions - including a pivotal fourth quarter pick in the end zone against Ole Miss that helped spark an overtime victory.
Alexander's path from unheralded recruit to SEC starter speaks to his developmental trajectory and competitive drive. His baseball background as a state champion outfielder shows up in his natural ball-tracking ability, while his experience playing quarterback gives him an edge in reading route concepts and understanding offensive tendencies. Over his five-year college career spanning two levels of competition, Alexander racked up 13 interceptions and consistently improved his technique and physicality.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Length jumps off the tape - uses every bit of his 6'2" frame to squeeze throwing windows and contest catches at the highest point with exceptional timing and awareness.
- Shows natural instincts in zone coverage, leveraging his quarterback background to bait throws and jump routes with calculated aggression and good spatial awareness.
- Nasty tackler who plays bigger than his size suggests - takes smart angles and consistently wraps up, showing a missed tackle rate under 7.5% across nearly 2,500 snaps.
- Excellent ball production with 13 career interceptions, including two pick-sixes in 2022 - tracks the ball naturally and times his challenges at the catch point.
- Quick processor who reads run/pass keys quickly and triggers downhill with conviction - shows good football intelligence diagnosing plays and route combinations.
- Fluid athlete who can flip his hips and run vertically, staying in phase down the field once he gets his hands on receivers.
- Physical at the line in press coverage, using his length to disrupt timing and re-route receivers when his technique is clean.
- Shows some dog in him as a run defender - takes on blocks with proper leverage and fights to set a hard edge against outside runs.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Inconsistent hand placement and timing in press-man coverage leads to clean releases - needs to develop a more reliable jam technique at the next level.
- Can get too high in his backpedal and struggle to transition smoothly against sharp-breaking routes, especially from off-coverage alignments.
- Medical history raises some concerns with an ACL tear in 2023 and a concussion in 2024, though he showed good recovery from both injuries.
- Limited special teams experience with only 13 career snaps in the kicking game could impact his early roster value as a developmental prospect.
- Top-end speed is merely adequate - can get stacked by elite vertical threats and struggles to recover when beaten cleanly off the line.
Scouting Report: Summary
Every NFL team is looking for lengthy corners who can match up with bigger receivers while holding their own in run support, and Alexander fits that mold with room to grow. His combination of size, ball skills and competitive toughness will appeal to zone-heavy schemes where he can play with his eyes on the quarterback and use his instincts to make plays.While he may need time to refine his press-man technique and improve his transitional quickness, Alexander has the tools to develop into a quality NFL starter on the outside. His background as a multi-position athlete shows up in his natural feel for the game, and his steady improvement from FCS to SEC competition suggests his best football could still be ahead of him.
Alexander profiles as a Day 2 selection whose blend of length, zone instincts, and reliable tackling will appeal to teams looking for an immediate contributor with starting upside. Teams running primarily Cover-3 concepts will particularly value his skill set, as his natural feel in zone coverage and physical presence in run support project well to the NFL level. Though he may never be a shutdown man corner, Alexander has the makings of a quality starter who brings added value with his ball production and competitive nature.
Written By:
Bill Miller (SEC)
Zy Alexander percentiles vs other Cornerbacks (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Zy Alexander (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
89.1
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
27.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.