The Arizona Cardinals have had a history of being a beloved loser in the grand scheme of the NFL. This year with their incredible run to the Superbowl and leading with two minutes to go may have eliminated that mantra for good.

The Cardiac Cards had the 31st overall pick in this years draft. This must have have felt like unfamilar territory for a team that is perenially picking in the top ten. This year however was an excellent time to have a late first round pick for 2 reasons. 1. This draft was really devoid of major can’t miss players in general. 2. Picking late in the first round allows the team to avoid having to pay ridiculous signing bonuses. This in turn may allow the Cardinals to extend Anquan Boldin for a long-term deal that he and agent Drew Rosenhaus covet. It is amazing to me that Matthew Stafford got 72 million on a rookie contract without throwing a pass in the NFL. This guy has a solid arm, but is inaccurate and makes bad decisions by trying to force balls due to gun-slinger type mentality. In addition, Stafford does not throw a consistent spiral which can be problematic for receivers as well as detrimental to cutting through windy conditions.

With the 31st pick in draft the Cardinals selected Chris “Beanie” Wells from Ohio State. ESPN refers to him as this: “Wells possess a rare combination of size, speed and balance as a runner. He is one of the most talented prospects at any position in this year’s draft, but we have concerns about his durability and his mental toughness.” I really don’t understand the knocks on Wells, he suffered a turf toe injury that was similar to the one that ended Deion Sander’s career in the NFL.They also knock him at times for going out of bounds rather than taking on defenders for a few extra yards. Considering the fact that Running Backs burn out at around 28-30 years of age due to the severity of impact on their bodies; this is likely a good decison early in a career. I also firmly disagree that he is not tough. In his first game back from injury last year he had 14 carries for 106 yards against Minnesota; many times plowing through defenders. This indicates to me that he is tough mentally and physically because he was not gunshy for impact at all. Wells will make an excellent fit in combination with Tim Hightower. At 235 pounds, Wells will be the type of runner that the Cardinals need when they have a lead in games and are looking to kill some clock.

In the 2nd round, the Cardinals had the 63rd overall pick. With this pick the Cardinals filled another need in the 3-4 defense by getting a “hybrid” type of player in Cody Brown of University of Connecticut. Brown is 6′2″ and 244 pounds and will line up on the end as a speed rusher as well as drop back in coverage. Here is ESPN’s breakdown of Brown: “Brown lined up at defensive end at UConn but he projects as a hybrid DE/OLB in the NFL. He’s going to have some problems setting the edge in that role, though, and we’re also concerned about his inconsistent open-field tackling. Though he lacks the explosiveness of an Aaron Maybin or Brian Orakpo, he’s still quick enough to turn the corner. He also has the agility to develop a wide variety of pass-rush moves.” Another excellent pick by the Cardinals…stayed tuned tomorrow for more in the second day of draft coverage.