Darius Alexander 2025 NFL Draft: Toledo DT Scouting Report
In a talented 2025 NFL Draft class, Darius Alexander is a physical defensive tackle that you need to know. Alexander is a versatile DT who played football for the Toledo Rockets. Today, we’ll break down his NFL outlook in this scouting report. Additionally, we will be breaking down his strengths, areas for improvement, and his potential draft grade.
Darius Alexander 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Alexander emerged from Wayne High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as a lightly recruited two-star prospect in the 2019 class. Ultimately, he chose Toledo over limited FBS offers (notably Bowling Green). After redshirting his true freshman year and transitioning from an initial stint on the offensive line to defense, Alexander steadily became a standout for the Rockets.
A multi-sport high school athlete (football, basketball, and track), Alexander’s athletic foundation was evident early. However, his raw frame (around 245 lbs out of high school) required significant college bulking to reach his current 300+ pound playing weight.
In over six years at Toledo, Alexander evolved from a rotational piece in 2020 to a two-year starter (2023-2024). Impressively, he earned Third-Team All-MAC honors in 2023 and Second-Team All-MAC in 2024. His final college stat line reflects 127 career tackles, 22 TFLs, nine sacks, and a memorable 58-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 2024 GameAbove Sports Bowl against Pitt.
All in all, Alexander is a high-upside defensive lineman. His rare combination of size, explosiveness, and power makes him an intriguing prospect. Additionally, his journey from a two-star recruit to a draft riser reflects his work ethic and physical development. However, his age and technical rawness temper expectations of immediate stardom. With coaching to refine his hand usage and pass-rush plan, Alexander has the tools to become a three-down contributor. At a minimum, he’s a rotational run-stuffer with pass-rush potential; at best, he could emerge as a disruptive starter in the right system.
Moreover, Alexander’s tape reveals a player who thrives when his physical tools align with scheme fit. His run defense is his calling card, with a knack for clogging lanes and shedding blocks to make tackles. Specifically, as a pass-rusher, his swim move and bull rush generate pressure. However, he lacks the polish to consistently finish with sacks (evidenced by 25 hurries but only 3.5 sacks in 2024).
HT: 6037
WT: 305
40: 4.95
ARM: 3400
Strengths
- Physical Profile: Alexander’s frame, paired with 34-inch arms and a wide wingspan, gives him a prototypical build for an NFL defensive tackle or 3-4 defensive end. His length allows him to engage blockers early and keep them at bay.
- Explosiveness: His first-step quickness off the snap is exceptional for his size, enabling him to penetrate gaps and disrupt plays in the backfield. His 4.95 40-yard dash and 20 mph GPS tracking highlight this trait.
- Power at Point of Attack: Alexander’s strength—highlighted by a 400-pound bench press—translates to on-field dominance. He can stack and shed single blocks with authority and reset the line of scrimmage against the run.
- Block Shedding: His ability to disengage from blockers using active hands and upper-body power stands out. He frequently slips double teams and redirects to pursue ball carriers.
- Versatility: Alexander has aligned across the defensive front at Toledo (3-tech, 2-tech, 1-tech), showing adaptability to multiple schemes. His Senior Bowl performance suggests potential as a 3-technique in an even front or a base end in an odd front.
- Motor: He plays with relentless energy, chases plays sideline-to-sideline, and shows up in critical moments.
Areas for Improvement
- Technical Refinement: Alexander’s pass-rush arsenal remains underdeveloped. He relies heavily on his athleticism and bull rush rather than a diverse set of moves or counters, limiting his consistency as a pass-rusher.
- Pad Level: Despite his natural leverage advantage, his pad level rises through contact, reducing his ability to anchor against double teams or maintain gap integrity in short-yardage situations.
- Consistency: While dominant at times, Alexander can disappear against lesser competition, raising questions about his ability to translate production against NFL-caliber opponents.
- Age: Turning 25 in August 2025, he’s older than most prospects, potentially capping his long-term upside compared to younger peers in a stacked IDL class.
- Run Defense Discipline: His aggressive pursuit angles occasionally leave him out of position, allowing cutback lanes or seals by quicker linemen. Tackling reliability has also been inconsistent over his career.
Conclusion
Like Jarran Reed, Alexander combines a long, powerful frame with gap-shooting and run-stuffing prowess. While Reed developed into a more polished pass-rusher over time, Alexander’s current profile mirrors Reed’s early career reliance on athleticism and strength.
Ultimately, in an even front defense, Alexander’s quickness and power make him a natural penetrating DT in an even front. There, he can shoot gaps and disrupt both run and pass plays. His length and strength suit him for a 5-technique role on an odd front, though he’d need to improve his anchoring against double teams.
Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers (reported Senior Bowl interest), Minnesota Vikings (formal Combine interview), Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and New York Giants make sense for landing spots. Look for Alexander to go somewhere in the third round of the highly anticipated 2025 NFL Draft.
Round Grade: 3rd Round
Stats: Per Sports Reference
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sk | PD |
| 2020 | Toledo | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021* | Toledo | 13 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022* | Toledo | 13 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
| 2023* | Toledo | 14 | 12 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| 2024* | Toledo | 12 | 17 | 23 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Career | 58 | 45 | 82 | 23 | 9 | 13 |
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