Arizona Cardinals Evan Weaver could be a pleasant surprise

The Arizona Cardinals sixth-round draft selection can bring both aggressiveness and tenacity to the team’s linebacking corps

When it came to making their pick during the sixth round of the NFL Draft, the decision for the Arizona Cardinals was a easy one. After all, it doesn’t take much thought when an organization can acquire the nation’s leading tackler in 2019 at that spot. That’s exactly what Cards general manager Steve Keim managed to accomplish with the club’s 202nd-overall selection.

Much to the franchise’s delight, the University of California’s Evan Weaver was there for the Cardinals on the draft’s third day. Why the incredibly productive inside linebacker was still available at that point was anyone’s guess. Perhaps it was the fact that Weaver recorded an unimpressive time of 4.76 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, but Arizona obviously didn’t care.

Instead of dwelling on that negative, Keim and the Cards elected to concentrate on the positives. As a senior last season, Weaver led the nation with an eye-popping 181 tackles for the Golden Bears. That performance earned the 21-year old First-team All-American honors, and Weaver was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year as well.

Weaver also excelled during his junior campaign at Cal in 2018. In 13 games, the 6’3, 235 pounder racked up 155 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions and six pass breakups. Weaver was named Second-team All-American by Pro Football Focus and First-team All-Pac-12 by the Associated Press for his outstanding play.

At the moment, tackling machine Jordan Hicks and free agent pickup De’Vondre Campbell are Arizona’s starters at inside linebacker. Weaver will join a contingent of backups that includes Dennis Gardeck, Tanner Vallejo, Ezekiel Turner and Keishawn Bierria. The Cardinals will likely hang onto four or five at the position when final cuts take place this summer.

On paper, it appears that the Cards got great value out of their six draft choices. Players that should’ve been taken much earlier fell into their laps later on. Weaver could certainly turn out to be one of the greatest steals of the 2020 class.