Falcons EXCLUSIVE: 'The Chosen One' Dee Alford's Journey from Division II to NFL
One preseason scrimmage.
That's all it took for Tusculum head coach Jerry Odom to realize he had something special in future Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford.
The two arrived together, Odom fresh off consecutive 9-2 seasons as defensive coordinator at FCS Jacksonville and Alford as a freshman walk-on from Spalding High School in Griffin, Georgia.
The pairing wasn't by chance. Odom, responsible for recruiting Georgia, took in one of Alford's high school games - but not for him. Odom had a friend on the coaching staff of the team Alford was playing. Odom went to the game without any knowledge of Alford.
Odom left the stadium intrigued by the 5-8 senior corner who impressed on both defense and special teams.
It was Alford's first season playing high school football, as he realized he had better odds of reaching the professional level on the gridiron than the basketball court, his initial sport of focus.
Alford was far from a slouch with a basketball. He even received an offer from Mercer but was adamant that his long-term future was in football.
Despite his inexperience, Alford had a standout senior season, earning team MVP and 4A All-Region honors. He led the region in interceptions and setting a record in return yards.
When it came time to pick his future destination, Alford wasn't left with a ton of options. However, he knew he valued the relationship he formed with Odom during the season, and with the coach accepting the job at Division II Tusculum, found Tennessee's first university to be the best choice.
Tusculum had gone 4-7 in the season before Odom and Alford arrived. There was a clear reason for the struggles, as the Pioneers defense allowed more than 31 points per game, including two contests giving up at least 50.
The trials, tribulations and decisions that brought Odom and Alford together instantly paid off. Despite Alford's inexperience, he instantly impressed from the first scrimmage and beyond on a Tusculum defense that cut the average points allowed by a full touchdown.
"I took over a program that was really bad on defense," Odom told Falcon Report. "As a freshman, (Alford) was one of the guys making plays and studying the concepts better than most of the seniors. You could also see the athletic nature of his breaks and change of direction."
It's not a coincidence that Odom began with Alford's mental abilities before referencing his athleticism. Granted, Alford's speed, quickness and fluidity have been standout traits since his time on the basketball hardwood and have continued to shine in his first training camp.
But the NFL isn't solely about being bigger, faster or stronger than everybody else. Some players can get away with it, but the vast majority can't. Alford, who now stands 5-11, 175 pounds, didn't make it to the pinnacle of the sport because of physical tools.
Instead, it's the mentality and sheer commitment to getting better, starting with understanding the scheme and how offenses plan to attack, that helps differentiate Alford from the rest of the pack.
"He is a guy that is always thirsty to raise his football IQ," Odom said. "A lot of guys are talented, but the difference is being able to know how you fit within a concept and then understanding the route concepts of that concept that are weaknesses and do your best to take away the routes that they love against a certain concept. He was really good at studying splits and routes they like off those splits by formation."
Alford's studies off the field led to school records on it. He closed his career with new marks set in passes defended (40) and interception return yards (195), while ranking top five in interceptions (10) and several punt return categories.
And yet, after rising from high school basketball standout to All-Region football player by his senior year at Tusculum, Alford was left without an opportunity in the NFL - or anywhere, for that matter - for months after his college career came to a close.
Bombastic Industries Group agent Jim Goldsmith was familiar with Tusculum University. One of his clients, former Baltimore Ravens and Arena Football League receiver Rashaad Carter, starred for the Pioneers before turning pro in 2013.
Some seven years later, he returned to the school following a strong recommendation from Odom on a senior cornerback. Yes, Dee Alford.
Apart from the natural difficulties of having to climb the mountain as a Division II prospect, Alford's pre-draft process was wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning no workouts and, better yet, no tryouts.
The development threw a twist into Alford's plans, but he managed to find an opportunity north of the border. The CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Alford sight-unseen after another recommendation from Odom.
Winnipeg's assistant general manager is Danny McManus, who starred at quarterback for Florida State while Odom earned freshman All-SEC honors at Florida. The two played against each other, and Odom later worked with McManus' brother, Jerry, at East Carolina University. He trusted Odom's word and signed Alford to his first professional contact, with several steep guarantees from Goldsmith and his business partner, Jon Brigati.
Among the guarantees were that Alford would start and win rookie of the year. A lofty standard? Certainly. But what happened next, as Goldsmith put it, is history.
Given a chance to prove the Blue Bombers right for putting their faith in him, Alford was primed for a big rookie season ... until the pandemic canceled the campaign.
By the time the 2021 season kicked off, it had been almost two years since Alford had played a competitive down. In the end, it didn't matter.
Alford won the starting job at cornerback in fall camp, just like Goldsmith promised. He finished the season with 53 tackles, four interceptions and a league championship. Further, the Georgia native was named a CFL All-Star and earned Winnipeg's Rookie of the Year honors, as was guaranteed at signing.
Despite Alford's transition from Division II to the pros, from Tennessee to Winnipeg, Goldsmith's trust in his client never wavered. Why? He trusted his client's self-belief even more.
"What drew me to (Alford) was his passion for football, his heart, his talent and absolute conviction that he was going to succeed wherever he went," Goldsmith told Falcon Report. "We call him 'The Chosen One.'"
Alford wasn't chosen by Odom when he went to a friend's high school game. He forced his way on Odom's radar. He wasn't chosen by McManus and Winnipeg. He was pushed to them by Odom and Goldsmith.
But when the CFL season ended, Alford's phone lit up, and his nickname proved truer and truer by the day.
Less than six years after having to walk on at Tusculum, Alford suddenly had 18 teams - more than half of the NFL - trying to get him in their building.
After winning the Grey Cup on Dec. 12, Alford returned to Georgia, and started working out for teams a few days later. His first stop was Chicago. Then Detroit, where a false positive test foiled the trip.
Working on a tight schedule, Alford drove home 12 hours from Detroit. But it's what he had to do, as he had the biggest job interview of his life the next day - a workout for his hometown Atlanta Falcons.
Despite the chaotic few days, Alford put on a show for then-Falcons director of player personnel Steve Sabo, who left the organization a month later. Per Goldsmith, Sabo loved what he saw, and "pressed hard" to sign Alford.
However, there was still big roadblocks. The 24-year-old corner had 15 more workouts scheduled. Much like his extended absence from football before starring in the CFL, it didn't matter. Alford felt he belonged in Atlanta, and that was that.
"Dee's heart being from Griffin, Georgia, was always set on the Falcons," Goldsmith said. "So, he called off the rest of the workouts and we signed with Atlanta. We wanted him to keep doing the workouts to maximize his exposure and value, but at the end of the day he was where he wanted to be."
Alford entered his first offseason as an NFL player without much outside appreciation. He flew under the radar during OTAs, earning praise on occasion but largely just stacking practices.
Then training camp hit. Alford began making a number of plays on the football, making highlight reel pass breakups and interceptions, and consistently finding himself in position to make plays.
He proved it time and again, with Falcons coach Arthur Smith pointing out that his "flash" plays were quickly becoming commonplace. While Alford's emergence may have been a surprise to those unaware of his past, the reps he was stringing together served merely as an indication of what's to come.
In his first game as a professional - the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions - Alford provided another glimpse of his potential, undercutting a Tim Boyle pass to make a diving interception.
For most, it was an eye-opening, typical preseason play, but for those who've watched Alford's progress from Tusculum to the NFL, it was just another instance of Dee being Dee, showing his skill set to a national audience.
"Dee has great feet and elite ball skills," Odom said. "He is tough for his size and very versatile in coverage whether it be man, zone, match, trap. He can also play inside or outside."
The ability to play multiple spots is integral to Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees' scheme. He's known for being an aggressive blitzer and disguising coverage schemes, which requires versatility from his corners if it's to be run at a high level.
As a result of his breakout preseason, Alford has seen snaps with the first-team defense, including reps at nickel amidst Isaiah Oliver's rehab from an ACL tear last season. The Falcons have tried to put Alford in as many situations as possible to learn what they have in him ... and what they don't.
By all accounts, there's not much to dislike about what Alford's shown during his offseason ascension. The question that now needs answering is how much higher he can climb. According to Goldsmith, due to Alford's intelligence and dedication to getting better, he holds tremendous upside.
"Dee is the consummate professional," Goldsmith said. "He takes his craft seriously, he works every day to get better, he is a student of the game with a high football IQ and there is no ceiling for how high this kid can go."
Goldsmith represented Hall-of-Fame receiver Andre Reed. He, like Odom, knows what it takes to be an impact player as a professional. After spending nearly three years together, Goldsmith believes Alford has what it takes to carry his stardom into the regular season.
"Dee has all the qualities of a superstar," Goldsmith remarked. "With it all, he is the most humble person who came from nothing, so he appreciates all of it. I love the guy like family - he has the 'it' and glows wherever he goes. He is electric to be around, and he is a sponge soaking it all in. He is prime time."
The more questions that are asked about Alford, the more the same words show up. Professional. Passionate. Humble. Intelligent. It's those traits, per his college coach, that will make his tenure in Atlanta successful.
"His willingness to be a pro and show up every day with the same mindset of 'I have to prove myself every day,'" Odom stated. "His hunger to show people he can compete with the very best in the world."
No matter where he's been, Alford has outperformed initial expectations.
Whether it was Spalding High School, where his senior season doubled as his first under the Friday night lights.
Whether it was Tusculum University, where he arrived as a preferred walk-on after a chance encounter with a soon-to-be first-year head coach.
Whether it was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, where his first time on the practice field was the team's first live exposure to him.
Now, an NFL opportunity awaits. After scrapping for a spot on the active roster all offseason, Alford is poised to lace up his cleats for the first time in a regular season contest on Sunday, against the Falcons' rival New Orleans Saints.
Considering his local ties, it's only fitting that Alford's debut will come in a rivalry game. Smith is expecting a big atmosphere in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which holds nearly twice as many seats as Alford's previous home stadium.
The lights will be as bright as they've been for Alford. But in the end, it's simply another opportunity to prove he's right where he belongs.
After all, he's "prime time." He's built for this.
Better yet, he was chosen for this.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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