We all know by now that relationships play as vital a role in a recruiting process as a program’s stature and perception. And yes, in 2020, the absence of in-person interaction has made that aspect challenging. Nonetheless, in Junior Alexander’s case, the Washington four-star wide receiver was able to still able to become close to the Sun Devil staff. Alexander describes to Devils Digest how he learned to appreciate the fact that this collection of individuals will be able to help him achieve his goals and why Arizona State is exactly the type of program in this current environment that he should be part of.

“The first time I picked up a football, I was in second grade, and I actually played on my fourth-grade team that my dad coached. He just threw me in there with the big guys. It was hard playing against bigger guys, but it was actually a learning lesson for me. I'm so used to being the show, the center of attention, and all that, but it was definitely a learning experience for me because I definitely did not play as much as I expected. I scored my first touchdown in second grade, we played against one of our rival teams, and we were up a lot, but I broke a tackle or two, and I scored my very first touchdown.

“The first time I realized that I’m good enough to actually get a college scholarship one day was seventh grade. I played in my very first playoff game, and I made a really big catch to set us up to win the game. And at that moment, I knew that I could be something serious in football.

“The first time I got contacted by an Arizona State coach was during the mid-season of my junior year, and that’s when Coach (Derek) Hagan hit me up. It was week four after I had a really big game. I had five touchdowns, and he called me and were chopping it up. And eventually, he offered me. We were mainly talking about the big game I had, how great of a route runner I am, and how great I can catch the ball. And then he started chopping it up with my pops because they're both from the LA area. I think that's kind of where it hooked on to him.

“Coach Hagan then handed it off to (wide receivers) Coach (Prentice) Gill over the summer. Coach Gill and I built a great relationship that is very strong, and it still is. Ever since I got offered and I committed; he’s really the main guy I've been talking to since. He’s a very exciting person, and he's also laid back at the same time. He’ll keep it upfront with you, and if you're messing up, he'll tell you, just like he would tell you if you're doing a great job. He won't poke you as much or boost your ego up. He’s a very trustworthy guy.

Before Arizona State contacted me, there were a lot of schools on me. I'm not trying to be cocky, but I'll just name a few: Oklahoma State Minnesota, Utah, Cal, Washington, Washington State, Oregon and Nebraska. Arizona State stuck out with the diversity of their coaching staff. It's a real family-oriented program as I thought, in my opinion, and I really fell in love with it when I went down there in July (for an unofficial and non-hosted visit). I didn't meet any coaches or anything, but it was my pops and I, and we drove down. We saw the campus and everything, and we really loved it. The campus, in general, is very big and beautiful. The football buildings and all the dorms are really close and compact. Everything's walking distance, and I liked that. I thought it's a great fit for me. I got in contact with the coaches after I left Arizona, and I told them this is the place for me.

“Right after I committed was actually the very first time I talked to Herm Edwards. He was excited and pumped up about me coming here. He brings the juice all the time. I love it. With everything going on in the world today with the Black Lives Matter, I feel more comfortable within an African-American coaching staff. And I know being coached by them will put me in a position to succeed.

“It was a big impact seeing how Brandon Aiyuk playing well for ASU and then got drafted in the first round. I actually look up to Brandon Aiyuk and I watched him all year last year. He was one of my favorite college receivers last year, and he is now doing his thing in the league. But I just liked their (ASU’s) playing style, their whole playbook. I know they have a new offensive coordinator, and I love coach (Zak) Hill. I think I really fit into that playing style.

“Arizona State did a great job recruiting me, and the pandemic really didn't have anything to do with my commitment date and all that. I wanted to get it out the way so I could focus on my senior year; that was really the plan the whole time. I was always going to commit early so I could get it out of the way, focus on school and my senior year. I went down to ASU during the pandemic. It was also kind of like a vacation because my Godparents live down there. So, we went to visit them and then we drove down to the campus and drove around and saw everything and it was beautiful. It was weird being down there at first and not seeing the facilities or the coaches, but at the same time, I understood why and with everything going on, so it was a fun trip and a bummer at the same time.

“I've talked to coach Hill a lot during the recruiting process. And he definitely talks to me about fitting me into the scheme and the playing style that they have. We talked about me moving around everywhere on this offense; He wants me to be an all-around receiver no matter where I play. He wants me to give it my all; he knows that I'm a very good route runner, I got really good hands, and I'm a deep threat guy. But at the end of the day, I'll do whatever it takes to win.

“I definitely do love their offense; they have now than the one they had last year. There's a lot more spread (formations), and they also play a lot of freshmen, so I know that I'll be on the field a lot next year if I get my stuff together during the offseason. In the four games that they had this year, I don't think they had the chemistry because they had such a short time and less practice time. But the games I did see when they played Arizona and Oregon State that was cool to see. It was like, ‘okay, I know what I'm going into.’ Watching the Arizona game…oh, my gosh, my dad and I were on a couch, and we were screaming, yelling, it was crazy.

“There’s a long list of (current) players I stay in touch with. Johnny Wilson, Chad Johnson Jr., LV (Bunkley-Shelton) …those are just a few names. I can't name all of them off the top of my head. The vibe I get from them is that they want to win. As much as they didn't get to play a lot this year, with the COVID making them play just four games, I can see that they want to win. And you know, that's something I want to go into, a program that wants to win. Our goal is to win the Pac-12 championship and hopefully a Rose Bowl.

“I tried to graduate high school early, but I started the process very, very late. Because I go to a private school, it's really different compared to a public school. So, I signed with ASU in December, but I can’t come there before the summer, so I decided to play my senior one last time with my teammates. We start playing in late February. It's kind of weird and kind of scary at the same time because I’m already signed with a college, and I’m getting ready to play my senior season in the spring. You don't know what could happen. I’m gonna keep my head on a swivel, make sure I'm good, and finish the season strong.

“I was thinking about skipping my senior season because I already signed (with ASU). But at the end of the day, with the season we had last year, it was very heartbreaking for us because we lost in the quarterfinals. We definitely have some unfinished business, and that’s why I decided to want to get ready for my spring, my senior year. The ASU coaches supported me very, very much. Honestly, the last time I touched the pads was literally my last game of my junior year (in December 2019). Playing in spring, getting a few pops in during the season…I think I'll be ready to go for college.

“Before I get to ASU, I want to improve my speed and exploding off the ball. When I get to ASU, I’m just going to dive right into it. I’m going to work as hard as I can before I get there, focus on my classes, and make sure when I get to ASU; I can get the job done because I'm on a mission to hopefully play at the next level.”

(Mac Friday contributed to this article)

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