Arizona Cardinals 5 best draft picks all-time

5. Tyrann Mathieu

In 2013, Steve Keim was in his first year as the general manager of the Arizona Cardinals and he wanted to start his first year off with a strong draft class. In the third round of that draft, the Cardinals had a very tough decision to make. That decision was whether or not to take a chance on a troubled kid with a ton of talent in Tyrann Mathieu.

It could have either blown up in their faces and been a major waste of a draft pick or it could have gone the either way and ended up a massive success. Mathieu was put in a place where he could succeed and he was serious about getting his life in order.

In no time, Mathieu became one of the best secondary players in the league and an All-Pro defensive back. The biggest risk of all turned out to be the biggest reward of Steve Keim’s first draft. Mathieu has an infectious personality and his desire to be the best motivates everyone around him to do better.

Whether it’s as a corner or a safety, Mathieu has shown that he has an ability to do everything in the secondary. He can get up and be physical at the point of attack and he can be one of the most dangerous defensive backs in the NFL.

He’s quickly becoming the face of the franchise to succeed Larry Fitzgerald when he retires and despite two big injuries early in his career, there’s not much doubt about if he can return to form. He wasn’t a man that ran from his problems, he confronted them head on, just like the way he plays the game.