Rocky River High retires jersey of Green Bay Packers rookie praised by QB Aaron Rodgers

A lot can happen in five years.

That’s the time it took Jaire Alexander to go from being ranked as the 941st best player in the high school class of 2015 to being the No. 18 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers’ defensive back was back at Rocky River High to have his high school jersey retired.

“This is something I talked about when I was in high school,” Alexander said, standing in his old gym as hundreds of students poured in to celebrate his moment. “I would ask, ‘How do I get my jersey retired.’ They said, ‘You go first round and it’s a done deal.’ And, man, here it is.”

In high school, Alexander was a 3-star (out of 5) national recruit. And 247Sports ranked him No. 33 overall from North Carolina in the class of 2015 and No. 941 nationally.

In his high school junior and senior seasons, in 2013 and 2014, Alexander was a wide receiver and defensive back. He totaled 1,693 receiving yards, 26 touchdowns and 84 tackles.

He wanted to play ACC football in North Carolina, but no N.C. ACC school offered him a scholarship, he said. Alexander initially committed to Charlotte’s 49ers but switched to South Carolina. He was worried then Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier might retire, so he visited Louisville and committed the next day. Alexander started school there in January 2015.

“We knew he would be something special,” said Jason Fowler, who coached Alexander in high school. Fowler is now head coach at Olympic High. “It was because of all the extra work he put in. It was so contagious that he started bringing extra people with him after practice every day, always doing the little things.”

By his sophomore year at Louisville, Alexander was second-team All-ACC and began appearing on mock draft boards.

In that sophomore season, Alexander had five interceptions, nine pass break-ups and a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown (against Florida State). Pro Football Focus, a website that focuses on analysis of NFL and college football, ranked him the ACC’s best cornerback for the 2016 season.

But Alexander only played six games as a junior because of injuries to his knee and hand. After the season, he signed with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation sports agency and entered his name into the draft, though some experts felt he needed to return to school.

Just like in high school, Alexander overcame the odds. He was drafted in the first round. He became a starter in Green Bay. In the 2018 season, Alexander finished with 61 tackles, one interception and his 10 pass breakups led the NFL among rookies.

“I love it there,” Alexander said of playing in Wisconsin. “It’s sold out every game. We didn’t have the season we wanted last year (Green Bay finished 6-9-1), but next year will be different. And it’s different playing (in Green Bay). It’s cold. Man, 50 degrees is warm to me now. My last day there, it was negative 6.”

Alexander said he’s learned a lot from Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

“He’s a cool guy,” Alexander said. “You can learn a lot from him. He is a teacher, a leader. He has it all.”

Rodgers is a fan of Alexanders, too, telling 247Sports that the native Charlottean has a bright future in the NFL.

“I think the (2018) draft...was a good one,” Rodgers said. “I really like what I see in (Alexander). I think he’s going to be a star in this league. But more than that, he’s got a really good work ethic and a great attitude. Loves football.”

Fowler, Alexander’s high school coach, is not surprised by any of it.

“I’m so proud of him, man,” Fowler said. “He did everything right. He graduated high school early. He graduated college early. He put in all that extra work. It’s not surprising he’s done well in the NFL. When you have the God-given talent that he has, you just try to not mess it up and lead him in the right way and make sure he’s doing the right things.”

As Fowler was talking, Alexander was mingling through the crowd, taking pictures, signing autographs and hugging old friends and teachers.

In five years, a lot of things changed.

“It’s crazy, man,” Alexander said. “It’s something I’ve always envisioned. This didn’t happen overnight, but now it’s here. It felt like a normal day. ...I mean dreams do come true. It starts with a vision. If you can visualize it, you can do it. Doesn’t matter your upbringing. If you can dream it, you can do it.”

This story was originally published February 5, 2019 at 7:07 PM.