Packers select Louisville CB Jaire Alexander with 18th pick

NOW: Packers select Louisville CB Jaire Alexander with 18th pick
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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers have selected Louisville cornerback Jaire Alexander with the 18th overall pick of the NFL draft, hoping he is the playmaker they desperately need after another subpar year on defense.

The Packers entered Thursday night with the No. 14 pick, but new general manager Brian Gutekunst acquired the Saints' first-round pick (No. 27), a fifth-round pick (No. 147) and the team's first-round selection in 2019. Then the Packers moved up to No. 18 and also received the No. 248 pick in the seventh round and gave Seattle the No. 27 pick, a third-rounder (No. 76) and a sixth-rounder (No. 186).

Injuries have ravaged the Green Bay cornerback position in recent years. The Packers dealt Damarious Randall to the Browns earlier in the offseason in a trade that brought backup quarterback DeShone Kizer to Green Bay. That left last year's second-round pick, Kevin King, as the Packers' top cornerback following an injury-shortened rookie year.

Veteran Tramon Williams returned as a free agent to the Packers, who also brought back Davon House. But a defense can never have too many cornerbacks in the pass-happy NFL.

With his potential to make an immediate impact, Alexander was too good to pass up for new coordinator Mike Pettine's defense.
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UPDATE: The Green Bay Packers have traded up to get the 18th pick from the Seattle Seahawks and select Louisville CB Jaire Alexander.

About Jaire Alexander from CBS Sports:

While Alexander was just a three-star prospect coming out of North Carolina, and ranked only in the top 70 cornerbacks in the country, Louisville saw a future starter in his speed, ball skills, and physical play on the outside. He proved them correct in 2016, intercepting five passes and breaking up nine others in 13 starts to garner second-team All-ACC honors. Alexander played in 12 games, with one start on defense (19 tackles, one interception) in his true freshman season. He's also made a name for himself as a punt returner in his first two seasons (29 returns for 223 yards in 2015, 19 returns for 195 yards in 2016), including a 69-yard return for a touchdown against ACC rival Florida State in 2016. Alexander missed about half of the 2017 season with leg and hand injuries, but managed to start six of seven games played on the year (19 tackles, one interception, four pass breakups) and was named honorable mention All-ACC.

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(CBS 58) -- The Packers have traded the 14th selection in the 2018 NFL draft to the New Orleans Saints for the 27th overall pick, a fifth-round pick this year, and a first round pick in 2019.

This story is developing. Stay with CBS 58 on-air and online for Packers updates in the 83rd Annual NFL Draft.

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CBS 58 sports anchors Cristina Tuso and Scott Grodsky preview the Packers draft from Lambeau Field.

 


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