When the Arizona Cardinals fired Denny Green in 2007, most of the fans said “Good Riddance.” A coach more known for his sound bites (They are who we thought they were!) than sound coaching, the Green era was, like its predecessors, a major disappointment. However, after the Cardinals’ improbable Superbowl run, analysts and sport pundits alike began using some revisionist history. As it turns out, Green was as vital to the Cardinals’ success as just about anybody. While not an effective coach in Arizona, Green has a brilliant eye for talent, shown with his work in Minnesota with the drafting of Future Hall of Famer Randy Moss.
He was equally effective in Arizona. The best draft came in 2004, when Green took a young wide receiver named Larry Fitzgerald in the first round. Fitzgerald had been a ball boy for the Vikings when Green was a coach there, and they had developed a blooming relationship that led to the Pittsburgh player being drafted with the third pick overall. While Fitzgerald was the crown jewel of the Cardinals’ draft, the later rounds also produced diamonds. Linebacker Karlos Dansby was taken in the second round, tackle Darnell Dockett in the third, and defensive end Antonio Smith in the fifth. Green’s success continued the next year. 2005 brought us cornerback turned safety Antrel Rolle, third down back J.J. Arrington, and guard Elton Brown. In 2006, Matt Leinart slipped in what was a memorable free fall, to the tenth spot where an enthusiastic Green picked him up. While Leinart hasn’t turned out to be the future of the franchise that the Cardinals had hoped he’d be, there is still time for him to prove himself. Leinart’s tutelage behind the great Kurt Warner should not be discounted, and his career may yet mirror Aaron Rodgers’s. Besides Leinart, Green’s final year also brought Taitusi (Deuce) Lutui, tight end Leonard Pope, and emerging nose tackle Gabriel Watson.
With Green’s departure, some feared that the quality of the Cardinals’ draft might decline. However, those fears appear to be unfounded, as general manager Rod Graves worked with new coach Ken Whisenhunt in implementing the foundation of Green’s draft: the top 120 board. A brief history of Graves: he joined the Cardinals in 1997, working in various personnel capacities before being promoted to vice president in 2002. It was then that he had more say in the drafting process. Before Green came, Graves had his own stellar draft. In 2003, the team took Bryant Johnson and Calvin Pace in the first round, linebacker Gerald Hayes in third, guard Reggie Wells in the sixth, and the centerpiece of the draft, Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin in the second. A study down by a reporter for the Chicago Tribune showed that over the last five years (since Graves has taken over the draft), the Cardinals have picked 18 of 33 players who are now NFL starters, a league high.
Back to the 120 board. The idea was that the team would compile a list of the top 120 prospects, and as the draft went on, they would cross off the names of players as they were taken. When it came time to draft, they would take the highest rated player, regardless of need. This strategy worked especially well considering the Cardinals’ had so many holes in their roster. Many teams claimed to follow this strategy, but when it came to their pick, it was amazing how many times the best player available just happened to fit their needs. The Cardinals disciplined themselves to stick to their plan, and this appears to have paid off.
Ken Whisenhunt came from the Steelers, a model franchise in the NFL, with his own plan to turn the team around. He instilled a sense of discipline and team unity, as well as a winner’s mentality. In two short years, Whisenhunt and his staff had created what seems to be a perennial contender for the NFC West title. When it comes to drafting, Whisenhunt is no slouch. Working with Rod Graves and then Director of Player Personnel Steve Keim, the team took starting offensive tackle Levi Brown, tight end Ben Patrick, defensive tackle Alan Branch, and emerging receiver Steve Breaston in the fifth round. In 2008, the team had yet another successful draft. First round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie appears to be on his way to multiple Pro Bowls. Second round pick Calais Campbell from the University of Miami flashed enough potential for the team to let Antonio Smith sign with the Houston Texans as a free agent this off-season. The best value may have been in the fifth round, where the team took a relatively unknown running back from the Richmond Spiders named Tim Hightower. Hightower led all rookies last year with ten rushing touchdowns.
Now you have an understanding of where the Cardinals are coming from going into this draft. The next article in this two parter will look at the Cardinals 2009 draft, analyze the players and when they were picked, as well as in depth insight into each draftee and who he is as a person. My research for this upcoming piece includes scouring the Internet for interviews, analyzing high school and college statistics, as well as reading what the talking heads have to say about him. It figures to be an enticing read, so don’t forget to check back next week!
Leave a Reply