ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals take Iowa State WR Hakeem Butler in 4th round of draft

Apr 27, 2019, 9:47 AM | Updated: 5:27 pm

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals added diminutive speed with their second pick in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. It didn’t take a day longer for them to add a very different type of receiver to the position group.

Arizona drafted its second receiver in the draft to kick off the fourth round Saturday by selecting Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler.

“Never anticipated that this young man would be there on the board,” said Cardinals general manager Steve Keim. “A guy that we had tracked all throughout the spring, has outstanding size, length and athleticism. Came and checked every box in the offseason. It was really a no-brainer at that spot.”

The 103rd overall pick of Butler came a day after the Cardinals surpassed one of the most physically-gifted receivers in D.K. Melcalf, opting instead to take speedy 5-foot-9 slot receiver Andy Isabella with the 62nd pick.

Butler recorded 1,318 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the Cyclones in 2018, his junior season.

The 6-foot-5, 227-pound Butler is a jump-ball threat with a 36-inch vertical recorded at the NFL Draft Combine and has speed, too. He ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash.

Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has familiarity with Butler’s game having coached for Texas Tech in the Big 12 last season.

“I’m super excited to play with Kliff Kingsbury,” Butler said. “I told him when I met him at the combine I wanted to go to Texas Tech, they didn’t offer me (out of high school). He called me and said he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”

Butler blew up as a senior after going relatively unrecruited out of Travis High School, the same school attended by Butler’s cousins, Andrew and Aaron Harrison. The twins were high-profile basketball recruits who attended Kentucky.

Butler played little his redshirt freshman season at Iowa State, then made a leap with 41 catches for 697 receiving yards in 2017. Last season, he made 60 catches, averaging 22 yards per grab.

Now, he joins a Cardinals roster with a chance to play right away as a big-target threat.

“Larry Fitzgerald, that’s everything,” he said of the Cardinals.

“I think that might be the thing I’m more excited about. To just pick up anything from him … I’m excited.”

[stats][/stats]

 

Arizona Cardinals

Carlos Watkins #91 of the Dallas Cowboys runs into the endzone for a touchdown as Taysom Hill #7 of...
Kellan Olson

Arizona Cardinals sign former Cowboys DL Carlos Watkins

The Arizona Cardinals signed former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Carlos Watkins on Thursday.
1 day ago
Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton kneels on the field before the AFC championship NFL foo...
Arizona Sports

Cardinals ink Rashad Fenton to boost CB depth

The Arizona Cardinals signed former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons cornerback Rashad Fenton to a one-year deal on Thursday.
1 day ago
Arizona Cardinals WR Hollywood Brown (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports)...
Arizona Sports

Cardinals WR Hollywood Brown fined in speeding case

Arizona Cardinals receiver Hollywood Brown was fined $473 with credit for time served for an August speeding arrest on the Loop 101 freeway.
2 days ago
Colt McCoy #12 of the Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals warm up prior ...
Tyler Drake

Cardinals ‘feel really good’ at QB as Kyler Murray preps for next phase of rehab

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is making steady progress in his rehabilitation from a torn ACL suffered last season.
2 days ago
Arizona Cardinals star backer Isaiah Simmons (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports)...
Tyler Drake

Isaiah Simmons remains positionless in Cardinals’ new-look defense

The Cardinals have a decision to make when it comes down to Isaiah Simmons. And no, it's not centered around the fifth-year option.
3 days ago
DeAndre Hopkins #10 of the Arizona Cardinals is called for a personal foul penalty against Eric Sto...
Tyler Drake

Jonathan Gannon operating under premise DeAndre Hopkins will be a Card

While the trade chatter surrounding wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins continues, he's a Cardinal until he isn't in HC Jonathan Gannon's eyes.
2 days ago
Cardinals take Iowa State WR Hakeem Butler in 4th round of draft