DB impresses Bombers with his ‘all-day motor’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/06/2017 (3040 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Back in high school, Brandon Alexander filled a role on the football field he probably wasn’t suited for. But then, not many 5-11, 145-pounders have the physical tools or mental toughness to play defensive end.

Although he’s grown to 6-2 and filled out to 195 pounds as a 23-year-old, it may be the lessons of perseverance and self-reliance Alexander learned as an undersized teenager, then as a walk-on at the University of Central Florida, that will earn him regular employment with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

On Monday, the Orlando, Fla., product practised with the first-team defence at cornerback after spending most of training camp at linebacker. The change was nothing new and not much to worry about.

“That’s just my nature, just going out here and competing — it doesn’t matter how fast, how strong, how big you are,” Alexander said after Monday afternoon’s workout. “You just go out and put 100 per cent into it and anything’s possible. I take that from being a walk-on (in college) to this opportunity right now…

“I think that got the best out of me. Going into the… drills with 300-pound linemen. That made me tough, that made me stronger. The first time I ever played defensive back was in college.”

Playing defensive end in high school probably damaged Alexander’s prospects for college recruitment. At UCF, he played cornerback and safety as a walk-on and developed so quickly that head coach George O’Leary offered him a scholarship before spring practice of his second year.

“On Jan. 3, 2012, he offered me a scholarship,” Alexander said. “From that point on, but even before that, he definitely sparked something inside of me — ‘You know, I can really do this and be something special.’”

Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea likes what he has seen so far from the versatile defender.

“He’s got an all-day motor,” O’Shea said. “That’s one of the things that everybody really likes. He’ll learn. He’s smart but he’ll continue to learn the nuances of the CFL game but we like that we think he can cover physical guys.

“His physical stature itself is good. I would say the No. 1 thing you would say about him when you watch the film is he can run all day. So he’s that type of guy, if he’s on the roster, you would think he would pretty well play every special team and have the possibility to start, too, which doesn’t come around too often. You love guys with that kind of a motor.”

Alexander doesn’t seem too concerned about where he may fit in with the Blue Bombers.

“Wherever I’m needed, whether it’s on defence or special teams,” he said, adding with a laugh: “If I would have to, I’d go back on the D-line. I’m just here to work, that’s all I care about.”

The Blue Bombers have a need at corner and, with the surprise release Monday of veteran holdover Terrence Frederick, the job is apparently wide open. Frederick suited up for nine games in 2016. Another veteran, Chris Randle, is considered a lock at the other corner spot.

“I definitely was excited and I was surprised myself,” Alexander said of the move to the corner. “But again, things happen and when you come out here, you get the unexpected, you need to come out here and perform. Just because you have it, doesn’t mean it’s your spot guaranteed. I just come out here and work my butt off every single day.”

O’Shea admitted what made Frederick expendable was the plentiful new talent GM Kyle Walters brought to camp.

“Yeah, we’ve got a few guys we think can work at that spot — provide a little more,” O’Shea said. “Now, Terrence jumped in, it’s a bad part about the business, he got his first start against Edmonton (last season) when we started to turn things around here. I think he had an interception that game and it was big for us but it’s our job to put the best team on the field every single year.”

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Another DB newcomer, Matt Smalley, arrived in town on June 3 and was quickly thrown into the mix.

“They just put me out there and told me what to do,” the 23-year-old from Philadelphia said. “I just play football from there. I’m pretty familiar with the playbook. I’m working at different positions.”

Smalley had a brief look during mini-camp with the B.C. Lions this spring. Before that, a 2016 tryout with the NFL’s New York Giants ended when he fractured a shoulder in training camp. He has seen action at cornerback and special teams with the Blue Bombers and returned two kickoffs during Saturday’s pre-season opener against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“It does seem like it’s a lot of players,” Smalley said. “There’s 12 people on the field, there’s a lot of bodies but versatility is one of the best features you can have. The more positions you can play, the more value you have. Right now, I’m playing corner but I can play half, I can play free (safety). I think I can play dime, too. I think I can play every position.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sawa14