Steelers Now
MOBILE, Ala. — Some muscles are built for speed and finesse, for the quick-twitch and the explosive action of a lithe athlete. Other muscles are built for power, and not just in short bursts, but in the kind of lasting, staying power that takes a long time to develop. Some call it dad strength. Others call it old man strength. For Toledo defensive tackle and Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 NFL Draft target Darius Alexander, either name applies.
Alexander is one of the older prospects in the draft class. One of the last remnants of the extra year given to college players during the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season, Alexander will be 25 this season. He committed to Toledo way back in 2019, spending all six of his collegiate seasons with the Rockets.
Early in that journey, his son, Messiah joined him. Alexander grew up without a father in his life, and he embraced the opportunity to bring his son along in his college football journey.
“He wants to play football too and tells me that all the time,” Alexander said in September. The last two summers I’ve had him living with me. He’s been a joy. He likes coming to workouts. He comes to all the games. He’s loving it. He can’t wait till it’s his turn to play.”
Messiah is now five years old, and Alexander has used being a football player and father at the same as fuel for his process, as well as hoping to be the best dad he can for his son.
“I love everything about it,” Alexander said. “I didn’t have a dad growing up, so my goal is to give him everything I didn’t have, and show him the things I wasn’t shown. I cherish that opportunity every day. My goal is to be a better dad every day. No one is ever perfect as a father but I feel like that’s something you can grow with and get better at every day. It’s been hard at times, taking time away from my son to be here. Having him around these last two years has really helped me because I enjoy the ups and downs with him.”
The old man of the draft class has plenty of dad strength to go around, as Alexander showed at the 2025 Senior Bowl. He weighed in at 304 pounds, an unexceptional size for an interior defensive line prospect, but showed significant power in his movements.
Already noted as an above-average run defender, Alexander showed off his power rush moves in Mobile, and thinks he can get better against the run, as well.
“Right now, I’m just trying to improve on my run game, just being able to withstand double teams and things like that and make plays,” he said.
In the age of the transfer portal, one-helmet college players are rare, especially ones from Group of Five schools like Toledo. But the Rockets have had four players drafted in the last three draft classes — all on defense —...
