Article content continued

The Bombers scouting staff has pointed to Alexander as a prime example of a player who was identified at a tryout camp and quickly rose into a starting role with the team. But two years ago, Alexander wasn’t so sure what he was getting into.

“The first thing I remember is just being nervous because you’ve got guys running the waggle and you’re not used to that,” he said. “You’ve got people running before the ball is snapped. I just needed to shut my mind off and come out here and work hard and just be myself and that’s what I did. I just wanted to show I was different.”

He certainly did that.

Bombers coach Mike O’Shea said Alexander is the best example of a player making the most out of his opportunities.

“Every turn of the corner, he made the cut and made the cut and put something on tape that you had to say ‘This guy has to come to camp, this guy has to go to the next step,’” O’Shea said. “I tried to encourage the guys this morning with that message and B.A. being around helped. Some of the guys know him or have heard about him and I think it’s important that a guy like that shows up.

“He really has become an extremely important leader on our defence and on our team so it’s awesome to see a guy like that come around.”

WHO’S NO. 4?

Of the three quarterbacks in the free-agent camp, only one is likely to get an invitation to main camp next month. It would seem that Bryan Schor from James Madison, who was the only quarterback with a contract before the camp, would have the inside track, though Sean McGuire from Western Illinois and Kevin Anderson from Fordham both had their moments during the camp.

Whomever gets invited to Winnipeg will join returning quarterbacks Matt Nichols, Chris Streveler and Bryan Bennett in training camp and will have his work cut out for him to earn a job.

Twyman@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Ted_Wyman