The desert air of Tempe crackles in late July 2025. At dawn, the Sun Devil Stadium practice field lies drenched in early sunlight. Xavion Alford strides out alone, gold and maroon practice jersey glistening with dew. He calls himself the “100 Yard Landlord,” not just a nickname but a promise—one he’s ready to cash in this season.
It’s no surprise when the Football Writers Association of America adds his name to the prestigious Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List on July 30, 2025, recognizing him among 35 of the nation’s elite defensive backs. Already named to the Preseason All‑Big 12 First Team, Alford has become the heart of Sun Devil secondary expectations.
Inside the huddle, he channels his past: a four‑star recruit from Shadow Creek High School in Pearland, Texas, who took a winding journey—Texas to USC, then finally Arizona State where he sat out 2023 before erupting in 2024 with 85 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions. He earned First‑Team All‑Big 12 honors that season and turned down the 2025 NFL Draft to return for a final year of eligibility.
But now the narrative takes a breath: fantasy and drama netting with reality. Imagine him walking the sidelines in Week 1—August 30th against Northern Arizona—eyeing every receiver, every snap. In practice, quarterbacks avoid throwing in his direction: Alford saw the fourth‑fewest pass‑target rate among FBS—just 4.2 percent. Opponents dared throw at him only 14 times all season, yielding a mere 76 yards—8th‑best in FBS—and a stingy 0.21 yards per coverage snap, second in Big 12, fourth nationally.
In this fictional glimpse, close your eyes and sense the tension. Mississippi State’s slants arc toward his zone—Alford leaps in front, finger‑tip interception snatched from air. The crowd roars. Cameras flash. Scouts scribble notes: “Character. Instinct. Leadership.” He’s more than a shadow in deep coverage—he’s a voice in the locker room, a mentor to younger defensive backs, a member of the Pat Tillman Leadership Council.
As August fades into September, the preseason watch list still looms large in every stadium program. National pundits whisper: here’s a player who forced incompletions on 35.7 percent of his targets—the best rate in the entire FBS. Ranked 21st in coverage grade and 27th overall at his position by Pro Football Focus, he’s quietly climbing to stardom—with tackling grade top in Big 12 at 86.6 and just four missed tackles all season—tied for 16th‑fewest among FBS safeties.
But what of the future? Under the burnt‑orange glow of a setting Arizona sky, fans envision Alford lifting the Jim Thorpe Award in December’s national awards show. In this tale, he steps forward on December 12, 2025, at The Home Depot College Football Awards broadcast—holder of a trophy named for one of football’s all‑time legends.
He is, in that final scene, the embodiment of character, grit, and statistical dominance. The “100 Yard Landlord” rules every inch behind the line of scrimmage. And though this is fiction, it roots deep in the real data and expectations: a player on watch lists, leading the Sun Devil secondary, and set to define his legacy in his final season.
