Mackensie Alexander commits to Clemson over Mississippi State

One thing nobody is questioning about Mackensie Alexander is his football ability: he's easily one of the top 10 corners in his class, with tremendous covering ability, and that's what got the 5'11 Alexander 22 offers from programs across the nation. On National Signing Day he decided to spend his next four years playing for Dabo Swinney at Clemson.

ESPN gives the defensive back five stars, ranking him behind only Florida commit Vernon Hargreaves III amongst cornerbacks. Other services still give him elite rankings, with Rivals and Scout each calling him the No. 7 player at his position.

Here's what SB Nation recruiting expert Bud Elliott had to say after his initial commitment to Tennessee:

MacKensie is a great pickup. He's easily one of the five best corners in Florida for the 2013 cycle, and should only improve... He's confident and will really get after receivers.

However, even in the world of recruiting, Alexander's recruitment process has been a really difficult process to stay abreast of. Mitch Sherman of ESPN wrote a really fascinating profile of Alexander, detailing his hometown of Immolakee, Florida, and why the elite prospect has been enigmatic -- even deceptive -- to those trying to figure out his college plans. After trying to follow the Alexander story, Elliott had this to say about his recruitment:

Alexander's recruitment has been extremely difficult to follow. He rarely shoots it straight with reporters, and college coaches are frustrated with dealing with him. He has made multiple trips to Clemson, and recently tripped to Mississippi State and Auburn.

At first, it seemed simple enough when Alexander committed over a year ago to Tennessee. But more offers poured in, and within a few months, he was already back on the market. Florida State made a strong run at Alexander by offering his brother, three-star safety Mackenro Alexander, who briefly committed to the school. It's still up for speculation whether the pair are a package deal: many of the same schools are offering both players, and its believed that some schools might not take Mackenro unless he can get his brother to come along as well. In January, it was rumored that Alexander was committed to Mississippi State, and although they're one of the schools in the hunt, those were just rumors at the time.

Ratings: ESPN: five stars (No. 2 CB), Scout: four stars (No. 7 CB), Rivals: four stars (No. 7 CB)

Vitals: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds.

Other offers: Florida State, Mississippi State, Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson, Texas A&M

Recruitment timeline: Here's a full look at Alexander's sometimes confusing recruitment process.

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