PHOENIX, Ariz. — Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander could be the Cardale Jones of the ACC if only he spoke to the media with greater frequency.

Ranked as one of the best NFL defensive back prospects in the country by Mel Kiper Jr., Alexander claimed the unofficial title for best Media Day interview Saturday morning at the Phoenix Convention Center.

About 15 minutes into the session, a Clemson beat writer interrupted another media member’s question and belted out “why didn’t you talk to us all season?” It was delivered with the sort of tone a child takes on when a parent says no to a trip to the candy store.

The third-year sophomore can count his career media interviews on one hand. He’s one of those guys who flips a switch — hard — on the field, into a brash, cocky cornerback who can shut down an opponent’s No. 1 receiver. Off the field, one teammate described him as “the quietest dude you’ll ever meet.”

Well, Alexander did open his mouth two days before the national championship game.

“I am having a dominant year,” the third-team All-American said. “I do my job better than anybody else in the country.”

At 14-0, the No. 1 team in the country, Clemson’s players exhibited a decidedly odd lack of swagger Saturday, generally referencing Alabama as “the best.” Alexander, at least, got tired of hearing about how great the Tide players are.

Here are some of Alexander’s greatest hits from Saturday:

  • According to Alexander, Alabama quarterback Jake Coker “does what he does. I think we’ve seen better.”
  • Asked about Tide freshman receiver Calvin Ridley at least a half-dozen times, his answers followed this theme: “Listen, I don’t stroke nobody’s ego. I go out there and handle my business. I feel like I’m the best and biggest man in the country and I go out there and do it. I’m done talking about this.”
  • And later: “They’ve got good receivers. We’ve faced good receivers this year also, so this won’t be a shocker, how good they are. I’m not really worried about any of the receivers. We’re worried about ourselves, making sure we’re OK, we know what’s going on, what’s the game plan and everything will take care of itself.”
  • Asked if he bought into the underdog role, Alexander shrugged. Then launched into a long explanation that said otherwise. “We’re an underdog and we’re 14-0. It’s all a brand thing. Everybody cares about the Alabama brand. I understand there’s a lot of fans and they’ve done it for a long time, but it’s a new year and it’s our time.”
  • The unmatched respect for the Alabama brand clearly frustrates the Clemson cornerback. “We understand who we’re playing and what we’re playing against. I understand that they’re a bigger brand than Clemson, but that’s all. Oklahoma’s a bigger brand than us too. Look what we did. Notre Dame was too. And we handled our business. When that ball is snapped, that’s when we’ll know what’s up. … You guys are looking at the brand and the big ‘A’ and what they’ve done in the past. It’s not about that. It’s about right now. You guys are looking at the brand too much. That’s all. You guys know we’ve got a better team.”

Perhaps the fact that his feet were planted on top of fake turf on a mock football field in the convention center made a difference. Because once he gets between the lines, Alexander has been known to chirp at opposing wideouts.

“I tell people all the time: I don’t talk trash. I speak facts. I’m a quiet guy by nature. I’m big on facts. I don’t go out there and open my mind like that and talk out of curiosity just to see what he’ll say. I just speak facts. People don’t like facts nowadays. They want you to lie to them. I ain’t going to lie to them.

“I tell (receivers) I love them. I don’t think they seem to like that very much.”

Alexander wasn’t the only touted member of Clemson’s secondary to give a show of confidence Saturday.

“I know he can be stopped,” safety Jayron Kearse told AL.com of Derrick Henry and the running game. “We watch film and we see weaknesses.”