ARIZONA CARDINALS

Arizona Cardinals’ Terry McDonough: Emotion not a good tool for evaluating draft talent

Apr 22, 2014, 4:59 PM | Updated: 5:09 pm

LISTEN: Terry McDonough, Cardinals VP of player personnel

Player personnel directors in the NFL watch a lot of film and become familiar with a lot of players.

They have to. Starting May 8, 256 players will be selected by the 32 franchises who have been analyzing every detail about those who will hear their names called.

In the process, individual decision makers will have their favorites, but as Arizona Cardinals vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough told Doug & Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Tuesday, it’s difficult not to become enamored with individual players.

“It’s hard,” McDonough said. “I think that’s when you make mistakes.”

McDonough recalled his time in the Baltimore Ravens front office, working alongside general manager Ozzie Newsome, who didn’t let his personal feelings get in the way of draft picks.

“He’s one of the best I’ve ever been around, and he takes the emotion out of it,” he said. “I think that’ s what you have to do. It’s very hard to do because we’re human beings and you get emotional, especially when you love the film and you meet the kid and he’s a great kid.

“Sometimes you can make emotional decisions that can lead to mistakes because you really like the person and all of a sudden, you start overvaluing the player. It’s happened so much, and then when they get here, they’re not what you thought they were because you were emotional.”

McDonough isn’t the type of executive who will “stand on the table” to go to bat for a player in the draft process, but that wasn’t always the case.

“I did that when I worked for Baltimore when I worked with Ozzie Newsome about 15 years ago,” he recalled. “And it was a cornerback from Central Florida, and the guy ended up being awful, so that’s the last time I’m ever going to stand on a table.

“It backfired. The guy stunk and (Ozzie) reminded me of that until the day I left.”

Much of the focus for McDonough and the Cardinals brass is on their first-round pick, the 20th overall selection. About two dozen players have been connected to the Cardinals in that slot by draft analysts, but McDonough is confident in what the team will get because of the legwork put in by the organization and the uncertain nature of the draft.

“You know, everyone can probably tell you pretty much the top 10 or 11 or 12, and then there’s always a couple surprises in the teens — guys that you think are going to go in the late 20s and some team will come up and take them,” McDonough said. “So there will be somebody there that you thought as an organization was going to go 13, 14 or 15, in that range.

“This year especially. See, last year was different. It was pretty thin. But this year at 20, there will be a good player there for us.”

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Jonah Williams pressure Sam Darnold...

Tyler Drake

Report: Free agent DL Jonah Williams visiting Arizona Cardinals this week

Defensive lineman Jonah Williams is visiting the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings this week, according to Aaron Wilson.

7 hours ago

Casita seating at the Arizona Cardinals' State Farm Stadium...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals’ new suite options at State Farm Stadium include casitas

The Arizona Cardinals on Monday announced new luxury seating options for 2024, including custom casita suites at State Farm Stadium.

11 hours ago

Justin Fields...

Associated Press

Quarterback carousel: Bears trade Justin Fields to Steelers to clear way for top pick

The Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night for draft compensation.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray...

Arizona Sports

Report: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s 2025 guarantees kick in

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray had nearly $30 million guaranteed for the 2025 season kick in by remaining on Arizona's roster by Saturday.

2 days ago

Paris Johnson Jr. celebrates with Kyler Murray...

Tyler Drake

Which side of the line will Cardinals’ Paris Johnson Jr. command in 2024?

Even before the Cardinals released D.J. Humphries, there was already talk of Paris Johnson Jr. making the switch from right to left.

3 days ago

Marvin Harrison Jr. celebrates...

Tyler Drake

Marvin Harrison Jr. wasn’t opposed to joining Arizona Cardinals in 2023

Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Arizona Cardinals in 2024? That's what Paris Johnson Jr. predicted soon after getting pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

3 days ago

Arizona Cardinals’ Terry McDonough: Emotion not a good tool for evaluating draft talent