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3 mistakes the Arizona Cardinals can’t afford in draft

By Scott Allen

TEMPE, AZ - JANUARY 09: Arizona Cardinals team president Michael Bidwill (L) and general manager (R) Steve Keim introduce the new head coach Kliff Kingsbury to the media at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility on January 9, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - JANUARY 09: Arizona Cardinals team president Michael Bidwill (L) and general manager (R) Steve Keim introduce the new head coach Kliff Kingsbury to the media at the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility on January 9, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 9: John Brown #13 of the Baltimore Ravens catches a touchdown in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 9: John Brown #13 of the Baltimore Ravens catches a touchdown in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Small school players are fun but…

The small school players are flashes in a pan.  They sound terrific when they are drafted.  They even contribute greatly sometimes in the beginning.

However they rarely turn out to be the stars once thought.  The Cardinals got good use out of Pittsburg State’s John Brown at receiver.

However he fizzed and has already moved on to his third team going into his sixth NFL season.  Now, not sure you can blame him coming from a small school or not but he hasn’t had the endurance. Since 2015 when he had 65 receptions, he’s had no more than 42 since.

Cole Toner came from Harvard.  He was supposed to be a big deal on the offensive line.  He fizzled.  Midwestern State’s Marqui Christian didn’t turn out to be the player Keim thought he was getting at safety in 2015.

Next. Predicting the Cardinals 2019 schedule. dark

Not everyone is Jerry Rice from Mississippi Valley State.  Now, that does not mean avoid the smaller schools all together.  There are good players there.  Just don’t reach for one just so you can try to say you found him when no one else was looking.

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