Arizona Cardinals Hoping Mid-Round Draft Success Continues
By Jim Koch
General manager Steve Keim’s middle-round draft selections have been an extremely productive bunch for the Arizona Cardinals
It appears that the Arizona Cardinals may have done it again. Their success in the middle rounds of drafts, most notably since Steve Keim became their general manager, is well-documented. David Johnson, Tyrann Mathieu and John Brown weren’t selected within the first couple of rounds, but have been fantastic nevertheless.
The 2017 class has a chance to be just as successful. A trio of rookies, all taken after the second round, appear to have an excellent chance of finding the success their predecessors have enjoyed.
The club’s third-round pick, Chad Williams, is already being looked at as the heir-apparent to Larry Fitzgerald. The Grambling State wide receiver will be attempting to fill the biggest shoes in Arizona. Certainly alot of pressure for a 98th-overall pick of a draft.
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Williams does bring with him a skill-set that’s off the charts. He also offers the size (6’1″, 204) the Cards so desperately need with Fitzgerald’s impending retirement, and last December’s release of Michael Floyd. Being in the wide receivers’ room with a legend such as Fitzgerald has the bright-faced Williams excited, and he promises to learn all he can from him.
Pittsburgh’s Dorian Johnson, taken in the fourth round, could turn out to be an outright steal. The mammoth guard was actually projected to go in the second round, but a liver condition caused him to drop. He promises his health is fine, and that he has known about and dealt with the ailment for years.
Johnson could find himself competing for a starting job in his first season. Second-year Cardinal Evan Boehm is penciled in as the squad’s starting right guard, but could face a stiff challenge from the 6’5″, 315 pounder.
T.J. Logan, a fifth-rounder, could have an immediate impact. He’s just about assured of being Arizona’s kickoff-return specialist. He may also replace Andre Ellington (now a wide receiver) as the team’s change-of-pace running back behind starter David Johnson.
The Cards’ front office clearly has a handle on the middle portions of drafts. The three rookies talked about in this article appear to have bright futures. Keim’s mid-round track record indicates that there’s a good chance they’ll make the organization proud.