However, Fornelli admits that Alexander may not be his top choice at No. 11.
"Truth be told, I like Walter Nolen better than Darius Alexander, but I had Nolen here in my last mock, so I'm switching it up a bit!" Fornelli wrote. "Alexander had a very impressive combine, and I know there are some teams who are extremely high on him."
Interestingly, Alexander is ranked 45th by CBS Sports, making him the second-lowest-ranked first-round prospect in Fornelli's mock draft. He has Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson—ranked 61st—projected to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 27.
Alexander (6-4, 305) registered 40 tackles (eight for a loss), 3.5 sacks, four passes defensed, an interception, and a touchdown across 12 games as a senior in 2024, per Sports Reference. His performance earned him career-high grades from Pro Football Focus, including a 90.1 defensive grade and a 90.3 run-defense grade. His defensive grade ranked second in the nation among interior defenders, while his run-defense grade ranked third.
Throughout his five-season collegiate career, Alexander totaled 127 tackles (23 for a loss), nine sacks, 13 passes defensed, an interception, and a touchdown.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Alexander posted an impressive 40-yard dash time of 4.95 seconds, a vertical jump of 31.5 inches, a broad jump of 9 feet, 3 inches, and 28 reps on the bench press. His 40-yard dash time was the fifth-fastest among defensive tackles, while his 28 bench press reps were the second-most among the same group.