Nowadays, calling something 'alpha' doesn't always mean it's really in the early stages. The same goes for new projects, anyone can do it with the right tools and some time.
While Twitter can help, if you want to stay on top of early projects, try using tools like @xSpiderSense and
@BlueTrackerNFT I'm just a regular guy who spends maybe too much time checking Twitter and scrapers.
With practice, you'll figure out which projects are noteworthy. Look into early followers, the team, and if it's a game or involves funding, throw their @ or name into Google. You'd be surprised at what you can find.
The point is, you don't always have to depend on others; you can definitely do this too. Anyone can use the tool, the tricky part is finding the gems.