Arizona Cardinals take Pittsburg State wide receiver John Brown with second third-round pick

Speed kills in the National Football League, which is why the Arizona Cardinals went out and signed Ted Ginn Jr. to a three-year deal this offseason.

But as general manager Steve Keim clearly illustrated Friday night, a team can never have enough.

With the No. 91 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, acquired Thursday in a deal with the New Orleans Saints, the Cardinals drafted 5-foot-11 wide receiver John Brown out of Division II Pittsburg State.

“He fits the mold of what B.A. was looking for, that’s he’s been talking to me about,” Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said. “He’s fast, explosive and a T.Y. Hilton-type of player. He can blow the cover off the defense.”

A three-year starter with the Gorillas, Brown caught led the program in catches and reception yards from 2011-13.

As a senior, the wideout corralled 61 passes for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns.

In addition, he served as Pittsburg State’s standout special teamer, collecting 653 total yards on 35 kickoff and punt returns in 2013.

At the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis, Brown ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash time coming in at 4.34 seconds.

“It was surprising. When I got the phone call, I was shocked,” Brown said. “I couldn’t say too much.”

With that call, Brown became the first Gorilla taken in the NFL Draft since the Cardinals selected running back Ronald Moore in the fourth round back in 1993.

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