Maurice Alexander (born February 16, 1991) is an American former professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
and
safety
Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...
. He played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
at
Arizona Western College
Arizona Western College (AWC) is a public community college in Yuma, Arizona. It offers associate degrees, occupational certificates, and transfer degrees. AWC also offers classes in Dateland, Parker, San Luis, Somerton, and Wellton.
Aca ...
and
Utah State and was selected by the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
in the fourth round of the
2014 NFL draft
The 2014 NFL draft was the 79th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players to the league. The draft, officially the "Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in New Y ...
.
Early life
Alexander attended
Eureka High School in
Eureka, Missouri
Eureka is a city mainly in St. Louis County, Missouri, St. Louis County, with a small portion in Jefferson County, Missouri, Jefferson County, Missouri, adjacent to Wildwood, Missouri, Wildwood and Pacific, Missouri, Pacific. It is in the ex ...
where he was a three-sport athlete. In
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
, he was a two-time all-state football selection. He also participated in
track and all-city
wrestling
Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...
, finishing third in the Missouri wrestling championships. He committed to
Utah State to play
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
.
College career
Alexander attended
Arizona Western College
Arizona Western College (AWC) is a public community college in Yuma, Arizona. It offers associate degrees, occupational certificates, and transfer degrees. AWC also offers classes in Dateland, Parker, San Luis, Somerton, and Wellton.
Aca ...
. In two seasons at Arizona Western, Alexander registered 179
tackles
Tackle may refer to:
* In football:
** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football
** Tackle (gridiron football position)
A tackle is a playing position in American football. Historically, in the one-platoon system prevalent ...
, 15
sacks, and four
interception
In Ball game, ball-playing Competitive sport, competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for ...
s.
[ He was a two-time all-conference selection in the ]Western States Football League
The Western States Football League (WSFL) is a defunct American junior college football league for schools in the states of Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico and Utah that existed from 1985 to 2018. The league was part of the National Junior College Athle ...
and he was a first-team all-region honoree.[
Though he had played ]defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
since high school, Alexander switched to linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
when he transferred to Utah State University
Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public university, public land grant colleges, land-grant research university with its main campus in Logan, Utah, United States. Founded in 1888 under the Morrill Land-Grant Acts as Utah's federal ...
. In early 2012, he got into a fight with a teammate after a party. The teammate, running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
Joseph DeMartino, was knocked unconscious and required surgery for injuries to the face and eye. Alexander was dismissed from the team. Facing a year in jail, he entered a guilty plea to reduced charges, receiving a one-year sentence with all but 45 days of it suspended.
During his year away from college football, Alexander worked as a janitor at the Edward Jones Dome
The Dome at America's Center is a multi-purpose stadium used for concerts, major conventions, and sporting events in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Previously known as the Trans World Dome from 1995 to 2001 and the Edward Jones Dom ...
. He returned to the team in 2013, moving to safety
Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...
.[ Utah State coach Matt Wells said, "In Maurice’s situation, he did everything from the legal standpoint and from the university standpoint, and internally, what we asked him to do. He fulfilled all those obligations and we've allowed him back in."] Upon his return, Alexander said, "I'm starving. I'm starving to get out there, I'm starving to make plays. I want to make every play. I'm greedy right now."[ He started 13 games.][ He received All-]Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States, participating in NCAA Division I. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on Ja ...
honorable mention honors.
Professional career
St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams
2014
The St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
selected Alexander in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2014 NFL draft
The 2014 NFL draft was the 79th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players to the league. The draft, officially the "Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in New Y ...
. Alexander was the eighth safety drafted in 2014. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams
Gregg Williams (born July 15, 1958) is an American football coach. His most recent National Football League (NFL) experience was as the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets, from 2019 to 2020. Previously, he was head coach of the Buffal ...
was cited as one of the top contributing factors in the selection of Alexander and claimed he would take awhile to develop, but would be comparable to Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American professional football safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NFL draft by the Red ...
after doing so.
On June 23, 2014, the Rams signed Alexander to a four-year, $2.68 million contract that includes a signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
of $464,260.
Throughout training camp
A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events ...
, Alexander competed for a job as a backup safety against Cody Davis, Christian Bryant, Lamarcus Joyner
Lamarcus Joyner (born November 27, 1990) is an American former professional football player who was a safety of the National Football League (NFL). After being named 2009 Defensive High School Player of the Year by ''USA Today'', he played colle ...
, and Matt Daniels
Matthew Daniels (born September 27, 1989) is an American professional football coach and former player who is the special teams coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played in the NFL as a safety.
Dani ...
. Head coach Jeff Fisher
Jeffrey Michael Fisher (born February 25, 1958) is an American professional football coach and former cornerback and return specialist. He served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 22 seasons, primarily with the Houston / ...
named him the backup strong safety to begin the regular season, behind T. J. McDonald
Timothy "T. J." McDonald, Jr. (born January 26, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. He ...
.
He made his professional regular season debut in the Rams' Week 2 matchup at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
, but only appeared on special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
during their 19–17 victory. On November 16, 2014, Alexander recorded two solo tackles in the Rams' 22–7 win against the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
in Week 11. He made his first career tackle during on a ten-yard kick return by Andre Caldwell in the fourth quarter. He finished his rookie season with four solo tackles in nine games and zero starts while solely appearing on special teams.
2015
During training camp, Alexander competed against Mark Barron and Davis to be the Rams' primary backup strong safety. He was named the third string strong safety to begin the regular season.
On September 27, 2015, Alexander sustained a groin
In human anatomy, the groin, also known as the inguinal region or iliac region, is the junctional area between the torso and the thigh. The groin is at the front of the body on either side of the pubic tubercle, where the lower part of the abdom ...
injury in the third quarter of a 12–6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
. He left the game due to the injury and was inactive for the next two games (Weeks 4–5). On November 8, 2015, Alexander earned his first career start after starter McDonald sustained a foot injury. He recorded three solo tackles and made his first career sack during their 21–18 overtime loss at the Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
. Alexander made his first career sack on quarterback Shaun Hill
Shaun Christopher Hill (born January 9, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins. Hill was signed ...
and dropped him for an 11-yard loss in the fourth quarter. On December 9, 2015, the Rams placed McDonald on injured reserve
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in ...
for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury and named Alexander his replacement at strong safety for the last four games. In Week 16, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles (four solo) during a 23–17 victory at the Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
. The following week, Alexander made a season-high seven solo tackles in the Rams' 19–16 loss at the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
in Week 17. He finished the 2015 season with 39 combined tackles (30 solo), two sacks, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery in 14 games and five starts.
2016
Alexander entered training camp in 2016 slated as a backup safety and competed for the starting free safety job after it was left vacant by the departure of Rodney McLeod
Rodney McLeod Jr. (born June 23, 1990) is an American former professional football safety who played 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). McLeod played college football at Virginia and signed with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted ...
. Williams held an open competition for the job between Alexander, Davis, and Bryant. Fisher named Alexander the starting free safety to begin the regular season, opposite strong safety McDonald.
On October 2, 2016, Alexander collected five combined tackles and a sack in their 17–13 victory at the Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
in Week 4. In Week 11, he made four combined tackles, broke up a pass, and made his first career interception during a 14–10 loss to the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
. Alexander intercepted a pass by Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American professional football quarterback. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, playing wide receiver until his junior year, and was selected eighth overall by the Miami Dol ...
that was originally intended for DeVante Parker
DeVante Parker (born January 20, 1993) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals and was selected ...
during the third quarter. On December 11, 2016, Alexander recorded four combined tackles before exiting the Rams' 42–14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
in Week 14 due to a possible concussion. The injury occurred when Alexander delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit on wide receiver Nick Williams after Williams' caught a ten-yard reception. The collision knocked Alexander unconscious and he was immediately carted off the field. Both players were diagnosed with concussions
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brie ...
and Alexander was inactive for the next two games (Weeks 15–16). The following day, Los Angeles Rams' general manager Les Snead
Samuel Lester Snead (born January 19, 1971) is an American professional football executive who is the general manager of the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL), a position he has held since 2012. Prior to joining the Rams in 2 ...
fired Fisher and named special teams coordinator John Fassel the interim head coach for the last three games of the regular season. Alexander finished his first season as a full-time starter with a career-high 50 combined tackles (38 solo), four pass deflections, two interceptions, and a sack in 14 games and 14 starts.
2017
Throughout training camp, Alexander competed against rookie John Johnson for the job as the starting strong safety. Head coach Sean McVay
Sean Patrick McVay (born January 24, 1986) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He became the youngest NFL head coach in the modern era when he was hired ...
named him the starting strong safety to begin the season, along with free safety Lamarcus Joyner
Lamarcus Joyner (born November 27, 1990) is an American former professional football player who was a safety of the National Football League (NFL). After being named 2009 Defensive High School Player of the Year by ''USA Today'', he played colle ...
.
He started in the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
season-opener against the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
and recorded two combined tackles in their 46–9 victory. The following week, Alexander collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 27–20 loss to the Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
in Week 4. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips
Harold Wade Phillips (born June 21, 1947) is a former American football coach. He has served as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Roughnecks and San Antonio Brahmas. He has also served as interim head coa ...
demoted Alexander in Week 5 and named rookie John Johnson the starter in his place. Alexander was listed inactive as a healthy scratch for the Rams' 16–10 loss to the Seahawks. On October 9, 2017, the Rams released Alexander after he struggled in the first four games of the season and earned the 73rd highest overall grade among 83 qualifying safeties from Pro Football Focus
Pro Football Focus (also written as ProFootballFocus, and often referred to by its initials, PFF) is a sports analytics company that focuses on thorough analysis of the National Football League (NFL) and NCAA Division-I football in the United Sta ...
. When asked about Alexander's release, head coach Sean McVay stated, "We wish nothing but the best for Mo; I really enjoyed being around Mo, But I think it's a credit to the depth we've established at that safety position. There were some things where we expected a better level of play from him, and he knew that. Those things were communicated." He finished the 2017 season with 20 combined tackles (13 solo) in four games and four starts.
On October 16, 2017, Alexander attended a private visit with the Seahawks, but did not receive an offer at the time. It was also reported that Alexander attended a private workout with the New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
earlier in the week.
Seattle Seahawks
On March 17, 2018, the Seahawks signed Alexander to a one-year, $880,000 contract that includes a signing bonus of $50,000. He was released on September 1, 2018. He was re-signed on October 3, 2018.
Buffalo Bills
On March 22, 2019, Alexander signed with the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
as a linebacker. He was placed on injured reserve with knee and calf injuries.
NFL career statistics
Personal life
Alexander’s younger brother, Hassan Haskins
Hassan Askiali Haskins Jr. (born November 26, 1999) is an American professional American football, football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was an College Football All-America Team, All-America ...
, is a running back for the Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC W ...
.
References
External links
Utah State Aggies bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Maurice
1991 births
Living people
American football safeties
American football linebackers
Arizona Western Matadors football players
Buffalo Bills players
Los Angeles Rams players
Players of American football from St. Louis
Seattle Seahawks players
St. Louis Rams players
Utah State Aggies football players