Arizona Cardinals’ Brandon Williams aiming high

The Arizona Cardinals’ rookie cornerback has been impressing the coaching staff and may be starting sooner than expected

The Arizona Cardinals entered the 2016 draft with a need at the cornerback position. By the time their 29th overall pick in the 1st round rolled around most of the blue-chip corners had been gobbled up.

DT Robert Nkemdiche became their pick at #29. With cornerback still a priority they would not pick again until the 3rd round. (Their 2nd round pick having been traded away in March for pass rusher Chandler Jones).

In the 3rd round, with the 92nd pick in the draft, they got a corner named Brandon Williams from Texas A&M. He’s a converted running back, having moved to the secondary in 2015, his one and only season at the position.

While the lack of experience Williams has at the position made him a risky draft pick, the reports on him have been glowing so far. Not only did perform well in spring practices, he’s also impressed so far in training camp, primarily working with the first team. He’s been hurried along a bit, due to injuries to incumbent starter Justin Bethel and the newly acquired Mike Jenkins.

The Cardinals would be ecstatic if their 3rd round pick stepped up and seized the starting job. Bethel failed last season to take take his opportunity and run with it, leaving the window open for a rookie like Williams or a veteran like Jenkins to come into camp and snatch it from him.

With four pre-season games to be played and alot of training camp remaining , there’s plenty of time for someone to step up and prove they should be starting opposite Patrick Peterson . Although Bethel and Jenkins are currently sidelined, they both should be back relatively soon.

But even so, this is without a doubt a great opportunity for Williams. Head coach Bruce Arians has already heaped praise on the rookie for his ability to bounce back after a bad play and not let his being beaten from time to time by a wide receiver shake his confidence. ( An important attribute for an NFL cornerback).

Will Bethel come back from his foot troubles and retain his starting gig? Will the broken hand Jenkins suffered heal fast enough for him to show the staff how valuable his experience can be to the Cards’ secondary? Or will the rookie Williams come out of the competition on top?

One thing is for certain, this will be one of the most entertaining battles of the 2016 training camp. May the best candidate win.