Cardinals draft players to play right away

Most NFL teams like their rookies to learn the system and get acclimated to the NFL before they start playing. Not the Arizona Cardinals who expect their rookies to come in and contribute right away.

Coach Bruce Arians is a believer in you will learn more by playing then simply watching on the sidelines. Arians told the Cardinals website.

“You can’t find a diamond in the rough standing on the sideline,” Arians said. “You can only find him if he’s out there practicing showing you what he’s got. Can he learn? Can he handle the volume? And then go out and play fast.”

Saferty Deone Bucannon was forced into action last year by the suspension of Daryl Washington, but he came in ready to play. 

“Coming in, you never know,” Bucannon said. “I just wanted to come in, work, and show coaches why they should put me on the field. It’s hit or miss. You never know what coaches might have in mind.”

Arians likes to look for prospects with a high football IQ. He knows in the NFL everyone must be ready for their opportunity whenever they are called upon.

“I think you always look at football I.Q.,” Arians said. “Is he a slow learner? Test scores don’t have a damn thing to do with learning football. I learned that a long time ago. Don’t put a lot of stock in low test scores or high test scores. One of the dumbest players I’ve ever had got like a 36 on (the Wonderlic) and he couldn’t learn football. He might have been an engineer or some (expletive), but he couldn’t learn football.”

(h/t Arizona Cardinals)