Methods and apparatus are provided for a system for aligning data. The apparatus comprises a data processing component adapted to produce a plurality of processed data streams delayed by a successively increasing number of clock cycles, a plurality of sequence detection components coupled to the data processing component, each of the plurality of sequence detection components adapted to inspect its input data stream for a predetermined sequence of bits, and a data selecting component adapted to receive the plurality of processed data streams, to select one of the plurality of processed data streams in response to receiving an indicator from a corresponding sequence detection component.