Cardinals’ top leaders attend QB Sam Darnold’s pro day
Mar 21, 2018, 2:22 PM
Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold pulls back to throw a pass during USC Pro Day, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, in Los Angeles. Pro day is intended to showcase talent to NFL scouts for the upcoming draft. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
NFL teams have the deep personnel departments to spread out, put boots on the ground and fill their NFL Draft files full of useful information.
At this point, they also have time to pool their resources and place bodies in one location if they think it’s worth gaining first-hand knowledge. Apparently, doing so at USC quarterback Sam Darnold’s pro day was the priority for the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter spotted all of the Cardinals’ big guns in Los Angeles. General manager Steve Keim, head coach Steve Wilks, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and quarterbacks coach Byron Leftwich all took in Darnold’s workout.
That’s peculiar considering not many other teams — that we know of — sent so many key leaders to Darnold’s workout.
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Darnold isn’t expected to be available to many teams, and certainly not by the time Arizona would pick at 15th overall. He is a potential No. 1 overall pick after throwing for 4,143 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season for the Trojans.
The Jets, Giants and Browns were all represented alongside the Cardinals on Wednesday. Those three teams own the four top picks (Cleveland has two picks at first and fourth).
The Chargers, Seahawks and Saints also had personnel taking in Darnold’s pro day, according to College Football Talk’s Bryan Fischer. There were certainly others that went unreported on Twitter.
But it makes you wonder: Could the Cardinals, who signed veteran quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon this offseason, be thinking about moving up in the NFL Draft to grab Darnold?
It at least seems that the workout won’t deter Arizona or other teams in thinking about that possibility. Darnold, who didn’t throw at the NFL Combine, impressed despite working out in inclement weather.
WATCH LIVE: Potential #1 overall draft pick, Sam Darnold, speaks to the media on Pro Day. #FightOn https://t.co/chmVa3HepR
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) March 21, 2018
