Being drafted into the NFL means one has proven they have the material to be a professional-level star. Or at least given the chance to show that raw talent can be turned into quality skill.
For each of the Arizona Cardinals’ newest draft picks, their selections are an indication the front office not only believes in their potential but more importantly, believes the team will become better as a result.
All of these young men have a college performance that makes them stand out and while they weren’t drafted on merely these moments alone, it shows why the Cardinals liked them so much and want to give them a chance to play at the highest level.
LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa
Collins can fit the hybrid role of a safety/linebacker player in coach Kliff Kingsbury’s defense. Quick to find the ball carrier, and his reaction time is solid, especially if there’s a gap he can make or a pass he can break up.
On paper, one would initially think his best game was a November 10, 2018 loss to Memphis. He recorded 12 tackles in that contest all solo, which would become a college career-best for him. And that’s on top of two passes deflected and a fumble recovery.
And while his 96-yard pick-six to knock out Tulane in double overtime is a major highlight, it wasn’t necessarily the best game of his life.
🤯 TULSA WINS IN 2OT!
The Golden Hurricane are now 4-0 when trailing by 14 points or more this season. They’re the first time to do so since 2005. pic.twitter.com/axeu2srX5u
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 20, 2020
For a more well-rounded performance, look to Tulsa’s 34-26 upset of #11 UCF on October 3, 2020. Collins pitched in 10 total tackles, 3.5 for a loss; an interception off a blocked pass and two pass deflections of his own. One of the better plays made happened to be a safety in the first quarter.
Considering the safety, along with the pick and four tackles were all in the first quarter, Collins’ efforts went a long way in not just beating a ranked conference opponent but snapping a 21-game winning streak by UCF.
WR Rondale Moore, Purdue
Quick and hard to bring down, Rondale Moore’s positives give him a real shot at becoming another reliable target for quarterback Kyler Murray. He’s not tall, but if his time with the Boilermakers has proved anything, it’s to be more concerned about what he can do in a variety of roles.
In his very first game, he broke College Football Hall of Famer Otis Armstrong’s record of 312 all-purpose yards with just one yard more. Despite that August 30, 2018 game being a loss to Northwestern, Moore’s effort still cemented his presence early on.
An eye-popping play he had was in Purdue’s massive upset over #2 Ohio State on October 20 of that same year. 170 yards receiving along with two touchdowns including this one that showcases his resistance to tackles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYhbnpVwDBI
But his best performance is arguably against Vanderbilt on September 7, 2019, where he lit up the Commodores for 220 yards receiving despite only one touchdown.
All the little things that made Moore a touted prospect are seen below: shiftiness, taking a man with him for an extra yard, and the sheer speed that makes Moore dangerous.
CB Marco Wilson, Florida
For those who are unfamiliar with Marco Wilson, he’s more than just a shoe-tosser. Silly as that was, Wilson still had what it took to be a starting corner at Florida. And not just starting as an upperclassman, but as a freshman too.
Early on in college, Wilson made a good case for being the fourth-ever Gator cornerback to start as a freshman. In the ‘Heave to Cleve’ game against Tennessee on September 16, 2017, Wilson made seven total tackles while swatting away three passes. Those seven stops would end up being his career-best.
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 16, 2017
A year off due to injury may have affected his progression, but he can still be fine-tuned into a better player, especially when taking his history of playing inside and out as a corner at Gainesville.
DE Victor Dimukeje, Duke
Dimukeje made a decent living creating pressure and hurrying the pass at Duke. It took some time before he started making more than just 1.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage; but eventually, his progress paid off during his upperclassmen years.
That’s not to say Dimukeje was bad during his first two years with the Blue Devils, his ability to still get past the line is one of his best traits. It’s how he was able to get a career-best three sacks in a win against Georgia Tech on October 12, 2019.
But a November 23 loss to Wake Forest that same year showed Dimukeje with a great tackling performance. Out of his eight total stops, he was only assisted once in addition to nabbing two sacks.
Working behind two of the best defensive ends in the NFL in Chandler Jones and J.J. Watt can only give Dimukeje better odds at starting on the line with them.
CB Tay Gowan, UCF
Gowan’s highlights with UCF Football show a corner who knows how to stick with his man and make good pass break-ups. In a lot of plays, he does a great job of grabbing but not holding on to the receiver the whole way through.
Gowan only played once at Miami of Ohio in 2017 before transferring to UCF where his 2019 saw promising results before he opted out of the 2020 season.
Taking a look at UCF’s victory over East Carolina on October 19, 2019, Gowan was on the money the whole game. Six tackles all by himself in addition to three broken-up passes. Not much was getting by Gowan and that’s a precedent that still could’ve continued in Orlando.
Gowan believes he’d be an early-round draft pick had he not opted out, but with the right amount of work and refinement, Gowan can get more ahead on becoming more of a reliable defender than he may already be.
S James Wiggins, Cincinnati
When it comes to making interceptions, James Wiggins not only has shown he’s got great timing, he’s also got great punctuation. In Wiggins’ sophomore year with the Bearcats, three of his four picks helped end the game.
And when he goes for a tackle, he really does run with a full head of steam. So much so, that not even a stiff arm by a USF player was enough to stifle Wiggins.
And against Temple on October 20, 2018, eight of Wiggins’ 10 total tackles were made unassisted. Quite the effort considering he never had that kind of solo-assist ratio ever again.
Despite injuries hurting his draft stock, Wiggins is still good at one thing. If the ball runner has room, Wiggins will close it with quite the burst of a tackle.
C Michal Menet, Penn State
Finding stats for offensive linemen isn’t as easy as it looks, but Michal Menet was with Penn State long enough to prove himself as an essential part of the line at Happy Valley.
Menet did start all nine games the Nittany Lions played in 2020 and was part of an offensive line that supported the Big Ten’s second-best total offense that year. The Nittany Lions putting up 430.3 yards per game as Menet served as a team captain.
Part of what made him successful with his fellow lineman at Penn State can be seen in their 11-2 campaign in 2019, which was capped off by a Cotton Bowl win over #17 Memphis.
A lot of team offensive records were tied or broken in that game and the protection by Menet and his linemen was influential throughout. An example of reliable blocking and gap-opening can be seen early as running back Journey Brown grinds for an opening touchdown in the first quarter.
As long Menet can continue that trend, he’ll be a lot closer to ready should Rodney Hudson be unable to play.
Featured Image courtesy of Brett Rojo/USA Today Sports
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