AP

More than 20 years ago, the Green Bay Packers adopted under G.M. Ron Wolf an unwritten rule: No cornerbacks shorter than five-feet, 10-and-a-half inches. New G.M. Brian Gutekunst broke that rule with his very first draft pick in the job previously held by Wolf.

And there’s a connection between the guy who inspired the rule and the player who prompted Gutekunst to disregard it. Former Packers defensive back Terrell Buckley (five-nine) previously served as position coach at Louisville for new Packers defensive back Jaire Alexander (five-10-and-a-quarter).

“T-Buck, he taught me a lot of technique,” the 18th overall pick in the draft said recently, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “As far as swagger goes, I tell T-Buck all the time, ‘I got my swag from T-Buck.’ So he knows that. He played with some swagger too, now, if you watched him.”

Buckley has continued to give Alexander advice. Alexander may need more of it in order to adjust to life in Green Bay.

“Never in my life did I think I’d be here in Wisconsin, so it’s an experience,” Alexander said. “It’s definitely different. Even the plane ride coming in, I’m like, ‘Man, there’s so many fields and stuff.’ I don’t know what to expect. But it’s been pretty cool.”

Alexander makes up for his lack of height not only with swagger but also with great coverage ability, uncanny ball skills, and a knack for returning punts. It was enough to get Gutekunst to make an exception to the Terrell Buckley rule.