Backdraft: Arizona Cardinals

BACKDRAFT SERIES: For 16 days leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft, we're rolling out capsule draft histories of each of the 32 NFL Teams.

 

Backdraft Series

Apr. 12 - Packers | Steelers

Apr. 13 - Bears | Jets

Apr. 14- Patriots | Falcons

Apr. 15- Ravens | Seahawks

Apr. 16- Saints | Eagles

Apr. 17- Colts | Chiefs

Apr. 18- Buccaneers | Giants

Apr. 19- Chargers | Raiders

Apr. 20- Jaguars | Dolphins

Apr. 21- Rams | Lions

Apr. 22- Vikings | Texans

Apr. 23- Redskins | Cowboys

Apr. 24- Titans | 49ers

Apr. 25- Browns | Cardinals

Apr. 26- Bengals | Bills

Apr. 27- Broncos | Panthers

2011 Draft Position:

• 5

 

First-Ever NFL Draft Pick:

• Jim Lawrence, B, TCU (1st round, 5th overall, in 1936)

 

Most Recent Draft Pick:

• Jim Dray, TE, Stanford (7th round, 233rd overall, in 2010)

 

Hall of Famers Drafted:

• Charley Trippi - 1st Round (1st overall), 1945 9 (Also drafted as special selection in 1947 AAFC draft by New York Yankees.)
• Ollie Matson - 1st Round (3rd overall), 1952
• Larry Wilson - 7th Round (74th overall), 1960 (Also drafted in 1960 AFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.)
• Jackie Smith - 10th Round (129th overall), 1963
• Joe Namath – 1st Round (12th overall), 1965 (Also drafted in 1st Round of AFL Draft by New York Jets)
• Roger Wehrli - 1st Round (19th overall), 1969
• Dan Dierdorf - 2nd Round (43rd overall), 1974

First Overall Pick in the NFL Draft:

• 1958 – King Hill, QB, Rice
• 1945 – Charley Trippi, HB, Georgia
• 1940 – George Cafego, HB, Tennessee
• 1939 – Ki Aldrich, C Texas, Christian

King Hill	Dan Dierdorf	Eric Swann

Did you know?

The Cardinals used their first-round draft pick in 1979, ninth overall, to pick the first running back of that year's draft. They landed the player they wanted, Ottis Anderson from Miami, with the pick.

It proved a pick of great value as he became a perennial 1,000-yard rusher. Anderson remains the franchise's all-time leading rusher as he gained 7,999 yards from1979 to 1986 before finishing his career with the New York Giants.

 

Quotable:

"He was making $5 an hour last year; now, he's a multimillionaire."

That quote by agent Dick Bell summarized the surprising story of the Cardinals first round draft pick in 1991. The Cardinals made a stunning selection with the sixth overall choice when they chose Bell's client, 20-year-old semi-pro standout Eric Swann.

The Cardinals went "outside the box" and took Swann, a 6'4", 311-pound defensive lineman who played for the Bay State Titans in Lynn, Mass., a semi-pro football team owned by Bell. The team went belly-up but Bell hit the NFL circles hard in marketing the talents of Swann who never played football on the college level.
Swann developed into a steady player and enjoyed a 10-season NFL career and was voted to the Pro Bowl twice. He played nine years with the Cards before joining the Carolina Panthers for one last year in 2000.

In all, he amassed 46.5 sacks including a personal best 8.5 sacks for the Cardinals in 1995.

 

Shop:

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Who in '11?

Post your comment about who you think Cardinals will take in the first round on Thursday. Why?