Alexander talked about getting to work, as well as his surprising off-field interest
The New York Giants had all of their rookies in attendance for this year’s rookie minicamp.
And while minicamp isn’t a great showcase for linemen, it was still our first opportunity to see players like third round pick Darius Alexander and third overall pick Abdul Carter on the field. They might not have participated in 7-on-7 drills, but they did get to work in individual drills.
Alexander, and the rest of the Giants rookies, also got a treat at the start of rookie minicamp when they learned that one of the best to ever do it was in attendance. Giants’ legend Michael Strahan showed up to watch the first day of rookie minicamp and spoke to the newest Giants.
“It was a great message just telling us to come in here, work hard and compete with each other and root for each other while we out there,” Alexander said to the assembled press after practice. “So, it was a good speech. Just tell us about the tradition of the organization where we got to hold the standard here.
“It’s definitely good seeing him here and just preaching us to what he learned when he was younger. So, it definitely was a good day for us, and it was good to have him here as well.”
Working hard and competing is nothing new to Alexander. He already came in with the intention of getting to work.
“I would say for me the main goal for me is just coming here as a young guy, working, getting to learn my teammates, getting to learn my defense and getting to learn my coaches,” he said. “So, for me it just able to come in here and work, that’s easy for me.”
Alexander added after four years at Toledo, he already understands that the key to his success lies in buying in to the coaching he’ll be getting.
“Just trusting my coaches and the veteran guys out there believing in them, taking coaching from them while they’re helping me,” he said. “So next thing after that, it’d be just effort, just going out there running fast to the ball everywhere it goes. So, I’d say that’s the key to success right there.
“For me, so I had four different D-line coaches back in college, so for me it was just being able to buy into what my coaches was teaching me, whatever I did learn before, don’t bring that to the table with them, learn their drill, learn their work ethic, how they want me to work, pursue my things out there and then maybe I could go back and add those little things that I had in my game before I added them into my game. But more than anything, just believe in your coaching and trust in the plan that they got for you.”
And as it so happens, Alexander landed in a situation with one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL. Andre Patterson is known as one of the best teachers in the NFL and has an incredible record of coaching up young linemen’s technique.
Alexander offered a glowing report of his first report of his first meeting with Coach Patterson, saying, “First impression is wonderful, cool, laid back, chill coach, but once he get fired up, he there and he all the way there. But it’s good to have him around. Great communicator. A coach you can ask him about anything that you need help with on the field or off field, so it’s great.”
Towards the end of his time with the media, Alexander was asked what he’s looking forward to most about being in New York. The rookie defensive tackle’s answer might be a bit at odds with the impressions given off by his 6-foot-4, 305-pound frame: Fashion Week.
“For me,” he said, “I’d probably say fashion week, you feel me? I’m starting [to] get into fashion a lot, so that’s probably something I’m looking big for. Then other than that, just getting out there with my teammates and competing every day.”
Alexander isn’t the only fashion maven along the Giants’ defensive front. Star nose tackle Dexter Lawrence has talked about starting a clothing line, and if he does, Alexander wants a Sexy Dexy original.
“Hey, if he makes one, I’m going to have to wear some of his clothes right there. So hey, tell Dex, come on with it.”
