Clarence Alexander, Jr
Born 1937 Donaldsonville, Louisiana
Died August 11, 2021, Prairieville, Louisiana, age 84

5'10“, 190 lbs

Nicknamed the “Black Knight,” Alexander was a speedy halfback from Louisiana who played on the LSU freshman team in 1955. He was thought to be a shoe-in to join the varsity in 1956, but disappeared entirely from the college football scene that year without explanation before reappearing the next year at a junior college in Mississippi. He did get married that year, so maybe that was the culprit. He played well at the lower levels and was drafted as a redshirt by the Redskins in 1959 before getting Little All-America honorable mention his senior year at Southeastern Louisiana. Minneapolis/St Paul picked him in the first AFL draft, which was how his signing rights made their way to the Raiders.

Almost immediately after the end of his college career, though, he skipped out on the States to join Edmonton in the Canadian leagues for the 1960 season. The Patriots gave him a try in 1961, apparently without the Raiders' permission because the league awarded Oakland a compensatory draft pick the following season. The Pats cut him in late August and that was it for his pro career.

Alexander returned to Louisiana and starting coaching high school football. He was inducted into the Southeastern Louisiana Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980.

1955 LSU freshman team, halfback
1957 Hinds JC, Raymond, Mississippi, fullback, JuCo All-American
1958 Southeastern Louisiana, halfback
1959 Southeastern Louisiana, halfback, AP Little All-America honorable mention
1960 Edmonton Eskimos
1961 signed by Patriots, cut in August

Jan 30, 1960

AFL signing rights assigned