The Miami Dolphins got a two month head-start on their general manager search. They’re flexing it now. After submitting half-a-dozen requests yesterday on the first day of the hiring cycle, Miami has tacked on another request. This time? It’s Los Angeles Chargers assistant general manager Chad Alexander — who is a long-time personnel man from the Baltimore Ravens.

Alexander makes seven external candidates for the Dolphins and there are elements of his experience that presumably fit the mold Miami is seeking. In what ways? Here are five things you need to know about Chargers assistant general manager Chad Alexander.

5 things Dolphins fans should know about GM candidate: Chargers assistant general manager Chad Alexander

1. Started with 20 years under legendary GM Ozzie Newsome

Alexander got his start in scouting with the Baltimore Ravens back in 1999 — he was a player personnel assistant for his first four years before becoming an area scout for six seasons. He got his next promotion to Assistant Director of Pro Personnel before earning the title of Assistant Director of Pro & College Personnel ahead of leaving the Ravens; he served in those leadership roles in Baltimore for his final 10 years with the Ravens.

The man at the top of that organization was, of course, Ozzie Newsome. Newsome’s guidance has forged many NFL careers and Alexander got 20 years of knowledge from under one of the modern day executive GOATs.

2. 20/20 Club Member in Baltimore

What is the 20/20 club? Getting into scouting in the NFL world is hard. More often than not, and especially back in the day, you had to grind hard for little pay to make it happen. The folks most likely to make that happen? Young 20-somethings. So the Baltimore 20/20 club is a nod to those young guys who came in and took the hard way — only to grow up through the rankings and be promoted to higher rankings within the front office. Full disclaimer: It wasn’t quite for $20,000.

“The guys started when they were a little older than 20 and for more than $20,000, but that’s what we call them,” Newsome explained.

Other members of the club include: former Jets GM Joe Douglas, current Chargers GM Joe Hortiz, current Ravens GM Eric DeCosta, and Ravens vice president of player personnel George Kokinis.

3. Tabbed by Joe Hortiz to be “his guy”

Speaking of Hortiz, the Chargers general manager knew for a while that Alexander was a guy he wanted to have at his side whenever he got his chance to be general manager.

“Through all my interviews, it was, ‘Hey, if I get this job, I’m bringing him as my assistant GM.’ He was always the guy I had ticketed,” Hortiz recalled to Chargers.com.

“Chad was my first choice before I got this job. And there were a lot of reasons,” Hortiz continued. “Twenty years of experience working with him…he was a no brainer.”

4. Move to the Big Apple

If we were going to be picky, Alexander does (sadly) have nearly five years of experience in the AFC East with the New York Jets. He finally left Baltimore to take a promotion to serve as New York’s Director of player personnel for fellow 20/20 club member Joe Douglas.

We don’t hold it against him, though! He’s served in a number of director roles in the Ravens and Jets front offices, which should serve him well in the Dolphins’ search for a “team-builder” and “scout” as a primary role of their general manager position.

5. Garnered GM interest last year

Alexander collected multiple interview requests last year, including with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders. The Jacksonville vacancy ultimately went to Rams executive James Gladstone. The Las Vegas opening went to Tampa Bay executive John Spytek.