Twitter Notes on Rams 4th Round Pick Maurice Alexander

[RamBill]

Jim Thomas ‏@jthom1

After returning to St. Louis after his suspension from Utah State, he worked at the Edward Jones Dome _ including during Rams games.

Alexander spent 45 days in jail because of the incident with the teammate.

Alexander made “local” visit to Rams. He was kicked off Utah State team after punching a teammate.

Back to Maurice Alexander. He did take part in the combine. Rams knew some other teams were interested, so decided to take him in 4th.

Johnny Hekker ‏@JHekker

Congrats to the man @MoYo_45 on becoming a Ram. Great story of perseverance and hard work. From cleaning the dome to playing in it. #GoRams

Howard Balzer ‏@HBalzer721

Rams had feelers for a trade, but Fisher said, “We didn’t want to lose this player.” Snead: “He’s really jacked to be a Ram.”

What Fisher/Snead said: “Good fit for defense,” “huge upside,” “this is a good dude,” “outstanding young man.”

He played DL in high school, LB to start his career and didn’t play safety until last season at Utah State.

Alexander was out of school in 2012 because of off-field incident and worked at the Edward Jones Dome as a janitor. Was allowed back in ’13.

Maurice (Mo) Alexander attended Eureka High in St. Louis.

St. Louis Rams ‏@STLouisRams

Fisher: “There was some interest in the pick, but we didn’t want to lose this player.” #RamsDraft

Snead: “This is a good dude.”

Snead: “He’s really, really jacked to be a Ram. It means something to him. We got to know him better than anybody.”

Snead: “It’s going to be a cool story because he’s from here, grew up here.”

Fisher on Alexander: “There’s a huge upside here … most likely, he’s active on Sunday as a special teamer.”

Kevin Weidl ‏@KevinW_ESPN

Watch Maurice Alexander late in the process and really liked what I saw. Big/physical safety that will smack you and has quality range.

Evan Silva ‏@evansilva

New #Rams SS Maurice Alexander played LB as sophomore at Utah State. 6’1/220. 4.54 40, 38″ vertical. Likely special teamer.

 

[RamBill]

Rams select Eureka High product Alexander in Round 4
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_51340130-3d4e-5bdb-a690-868fe35c290c.html

With the 10th pick of the fourth round, the Rams drafted Utah State safety Mo Alexander, a Eureka High product.

"We're really excited about this player,'' Rams coach Jeff Fisher said shortly after the pick. "He has huge upside.''

Alexander, who also starred in wrestling and track in high school, was a two-time all-Western States Football League selection at Arizona Western College before going to Utah State.

After a season at linebacker, he was suspended for the 2012 season after an off-field incident. He punched a teammate after a party and was suspended by the school while dealing with the legal issues.

"Lesson learned, I guess,'' he said earlier this week. "The adversity, it definitely helped me grow up and being away from football definitely made me appreciate getting a second chance.''

After spending 45 days in jail in Utah, Alexander returned home and actually worked as a janitor at the Edward Jones Dome.

He was eventually reinstated and returned to Utah State for his senior season and shifted to safety. Last fall, he had 80 tackles, including nine for loss, with 3 1/2 sacks, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception.

"I think it says a lot about the kid that the school allowed him to come back,'' Rams general manager Les Snead said. "He was here for a local visit and we spent a lot of time with him. Great kid.''

Alexander earned a degree in sociology in December and walked down the aisle last weekend.

FOURTH ROUND IS UNDER WAY

The third and final day of the NFL draft is off and running. and with just five minutes between picks, Rounds 4 through 7 should move pretty quickly.

The Rams have seven remaining picks: No. 10 in the fourth round, No. 12 and No. 38 in the fifth round and No. 11, No. 26, No. 34 and No. 35 in the seventh.

Some positions of interest for the Rams today will be quarterback, guard, cornerback and possibly wide receiver.

Today's action should also include a number of players with local ties.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

I think he's going to get used to blitz a LOT after watching the highlights on him. Williams wanted him as a new toy.

 

[A55VA6]

lmao. Strong dude if it required emergency surgery.

 

[duckhunter]

After reading all this, I feel much better.

 

[laramsoriginal]

Wtf

 

[RamBill]

Rams bring safety Maurice Alexander home
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/8303/rams-bring-safety-maurice-alexander-home

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Just two years ago, Maurice Alexander was working in the Edward Jones Dome as a janitor, cleaning up after St. Louis Rams home games.

The St. Louis native, who attended Eureka High, had been suspended from the Utah State football team for his role in a fight with a teammate and returned home to spend a year refocusing on his future. To make ends meet, Alexander took the job.

On Saturday afternoon, Alexander got another job at the Edward Jones Dome, but this one would qualify as far more glamorous than the last. The Rams tabbed Alexander with their fourth-round pick, No. 110 overall in hopes that he can upgrade their secondary

"That’s what really motivated me, seeing myself working there and being around that field," Alexander said. "I’ve done that since I was a younger kid, it’s just a dream come true. Every time I went to work, I always sat on the end of the field, and I looked at it like, ‘This could be my dream spot.’ Look where I’m at now.”

Alexander's journey back to St. Louis has seen him bounce around plenty on the football field. He started as a defensive end in high school and junior college, moved to linebacker upon arrival at Utah State before the fight incident took him out of the game for the 2012 season.

So Alexander returned to St. Louis and looked for any job that would keep him busy and money in his pockets. By the time he returned to Utah State, Alexander was asked to change positions, moving to safety at the start of the 2013 season.

Alexander took to his new position without much trouble, racking up 11 tackles in his first game against Utah. When the season was through, the 6-foot-2, 212-pounder had established himself as a physical presence on the back end. He finished with 80 tackles, nine for loss and 3.5 sacks.

During the pre-draft process, the Rams brought Alexander to Rams Park for a "local" visit and put him through a workout. They were quickly satisfied with what he brought to the field as a player, but had to dig a little deeper to ensure that Alexander wouldn't be a character risk off it.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Alexander's fight was with a teammate, but the two were friends and the incident wasn't anything more than a one-time issue.

"It’s going to be a cool story because he’s from here, grew up here and the whole Dome thing, but you can tell he’s got a passion for football," general manager Les Snead said. "Anytime you’re probably young and go through something like that, that’s adversity that you’ve got to have some grit to get through it. I think you love the passion that, 'I really want this opportunity,' so I think he’s really, really jacked to be a Ram because it means something to him. He got to come in, we got to know him probably better than anybody because of the local workout and all of that."

The question now becomes where Alexander fits in the defense. With his size and physical style of play, Alexander would seem to fit the mold of a strong safety, but the Rams drafted one of those last year in T.J. McDonald, who is already penciled in as a starter.

Fisher has said many times that the two safety spots are interchangeable in the Rams' defense, which could allow the Rams to use Alexander in tandem with McDonald. In the meantime, he figures to chip in on special teams right away.

"It’s interchangeable," Fisher said. "He has the range. He’s got the hips. He’s got the ball skills as well."

For now, Alexander is happy to know his football home and actual home are one in the same. Where he lives on the football field will be sorted out later.

 

[mr.stlouis]

Love the story and his rigid character, lol, but he's not the type of S I thought the Rams would tarket. He's a lesser version of MCD, IMO. Didn't we need a true FS to develope? This is the only pick I've really questioned up to this point.

 

[GreeneCounty]

I hate when the words project or development are used.

 

[Yamahopper]

He will get his chance to make the team. Could be a good special team guy and add depth. .