Arizona Cardinals: Expectations for Haason Reddick in 2017
By Tyler Olson
The Arizona Cardinals looked to the future with the selection of Haason Reddick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Former Temple edge rusher Haason Reddick is living the NFL dream. A defensive end in a 4-3 for the previous four years, Reddick is making the change to linebacker at the NFL level after being selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
A small-framed defensive end (6-1, 237 pounds) playing in a smaller-school college football conference (American Athletic Conference) would have a hard time transitioning to the next level. That’s when coaches at the Reese’s Senior Bowl had Reddick try his hand as an off-the-ball linebacker. The rest is history.
Reddick impressed coaches and scouts throughout the week with his coverage abilities at the Senior Bowl once he made the move to linebacker. We saw his draft stock soar from possible fifth-rounder to late first. Once the NFL Combine rolled around in early March, he not only solidified his status as a first-round prospect, but continued to rise up draft boards.
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Many people, including myself, had the Arizona Cardinals looking wide receiver, cornerback or quarterback with the 13th overall pick. With wide receivers Mike Williams, Corey Davis and John Ross already off the board by the 11th pick, general manager Steve Keim went best player available. From a possible Day 3 selection to the 13th overall pick, Reddick is a product of what potential and hard work during the draft process leads to.
This offseason, Keim brought linebacker Karlos Dansby back to the desert. He’s paired with Deone Bucannon inside of defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s 3-4 defensive scheme. And going into his 14th season in the league, Dansby doesn’t have many more years left in the tank.
Reddick is the eventual successor to Dansby at the end of the 2017 season (Dansby signed a one-year, $2 million contract). Bettcher may choose to utilize him throughout the defense as a rookie, taking advantage of his speed off the edge as well as his coverage skills. However, Reddick will need to earn his stripes in Arizona’s defense throughout the summer prior to getting any quality playing time.
Next: Arizona Cardinals: Looking forward to 2018 QB class
Expect growing pains for Reddick in his first season. Although unlikely, it’s possible that he can beat out the seasoned vet prior to the start of the season. He’ll be a fun player to watch throughout OTAs and training camp and a player who fits the versatile mold of defenders that the Cardinals gravitate towards.