Darius Alexander Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Scott W. Grau/Getty Images)
School: Toledo
Class: Senior
Position: IDL
HT: 6’4
WT: 305 lbs
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Background: Darius Alexander was recruited as a defensive end in the class of 2019. Alexander was a 2-star recruit out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Alexander played his high school ball for Wayne High School. Alexander was twice named an Indiana all-state performer. He was named Summit Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a senior after recording 87 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks on the season. Darius Alexander was only recruited by Toledo.
College: Alexander redshirted in 2019 and did not become a regular contributor until 2021, a season in which he recorded 21 tackles. In 2022, Alexander recorded 21 tackles along with 7 tackles for loss. 2023 saw Alexander take a major step forward. He was a Third Team All-MAC selection after recording 36 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks. Alexander was a Second Team All-MAC selection in 2024 after recording 40 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
Strengths: Darius Alexander is an athletic defensive tackle with ideal measurables for the position. His 34 inch arms allow him to long arm offensive linemen and prevent them from getting under his pads. As a pass rusher, Alexander has a variety of moves to win his matchup. He has a proficient swim move and chop that allows him to move through blockers and penetrate into the backfield. Alexander tested very well athletically at the combine, and it directly translates to the field. He has the ability to wiggle and squeeze through gaps, which is quite rare for a player of his size. Once he finds himself in the backfield, Alexander is hot in pursuit of the ball carrier and has the speed to keep up in that pursuit. As a run defender, Alexander’s length comes into play as he can patrol multiple gaps and lunge to the side to makes tackles while he is still tangled up in the phone booth. He has great reactionary instincts to surf the line of scrimmage and make a play when within striking distance.
Weaknesses: Darius Alexander’s ability to be effective for a full 60 minutes has been called into question. His impact later in games as he wears down seems to diminish significantly. When Alexander is faced with a crack block or a double team, he has trouble making any noise on the interior. When he loses reps, it is because he is playing at too high of a pad level. He has the bend and athleticism to get low, he just needs to be more consistent.
Conclusion: Darius Alexander has the athleticism and the size to be an impact player on the interior. His length is rare for the position and he could become a true difference maker. He will not come in and take a majority of the snaps, but he can be a rotational piece. He is scheme and situationally versatile, which is a nice chess piece for a defense to have.
Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile
Ideal Role: 1 tech
Best Team Fits: CIN, BUF, JAX
Player Comparison: Levi Onwuzurike
Player Grade: Round 4 (67.9)
