The Arizona Cardinals have the eighth overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, which will happen in less than two weeks. What sort of player can the Cardinals hope to acquire?
Let’s look at the last 10 years of the draft to see who the No. 8 pick has been and what type of career they have had.
2019: TE T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
Hockenson looked like he would be a Hall of Famer in his NFL debut against the Cardinals. He had six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown.
He finished the season with 32 receptions for 367 yards and two scores.
He has the potential to be great, but his only big game was the opener.
2018: LB Roquan Smith, Chicago Bears
Smith has been a stud in two NFL seasons for one of the better defenses in the league. He has had over 100 tackles in each season and seven sacks so far in his career.
The Bears do not regret this pick at all.
2017: RB Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
He might be the best running back in football. He has increased his rushing totals three years in a row, rushing for nearly 1,400 yards in 2019. He has also had over 100 receptions each of the lat two seasons and became only the third player to have over 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season in 2019.
2016: OT Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans
He was an All-Pro tackle as a rookie and signed a three-year, $42 million contract this offseason to join the Cleveland Browns. He is one of the meanest, toughest young tackles in the league.
2015: DE Vic Beasley, Atlanta Falcons
Beasley looked like the nest great young pass rusher when he was an All-Pro in his second year in 2016 and led the league with 15.5 sacks. His production dropped to five each of the next two seasons and eight last season. The Falcons let him walk in free agency. He joined the Titans this offseason on a one-year, $9.5 million contract.
2014: CB Justin Gilbert, Cleveland Browns
He only lasted three NFL seasons, playing two for the Browns and getting traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had only one career interception and never established himself and a starting NFL cornerback.
2013: WR Tavon Austin, Rams
Austin has had a fine NFL career but never became the big-time player he was expected to be. The most catches he has had in a season was 58 in 2016. The most yards from scrimmage he has had in a season was 907 in 2015. He is currently unsigned.
2012: QB Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
He had seven productive but unremarkable seasons with the Dolphins but was eventually replaced in 2018, coming off a torn ACL.
He resurrected his career with the Tennessee Titans last season, replacing Marcus Mariota as the starter and leading the Titans to the playoffs.
He signed a huge contract to return to Tennesee.
2011: QB Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans
Locker played four injury-riddled seasons before retiring. He was promising but never was able to stay healthy, leading to the Titans drafting Marcus Mariota, who has since been replaced by Ryan Tannehill.
2010: LB Rolando McClain, Oakland Raiders
McClain didn’t have a bad career. He played through 2015. He spent two years with the Raiders, a time with the Baltimore Ravens and two with the Dallas Cowboys. His best season was his second season when he had 99 tackles, five sacks and broke up 14 passes.
He had two drug suspensions and retired once before coming back to play for the Cowboys. He never played all 16 games in any season.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 263
Ep. 262
