The beauty of college football is the players who turn up in the late rounds of the NFL Draft and contributes. Even UDFA guys who find a way to stick with a team and excel the moment their name is called is a find. Figuring out who that might be and penciling him into the starting lineup is a roll of the dice. That said, those players are out there. In 2022, the San Francisco 49ers did not just find a good one, but a starting quarterback in Brock Purdy proving to be a hidden gem.
Purdy was that rare, almost once in a franchise history gem. When unleashed, the former Iowa State Cyclone quarterback performed, getting the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game, and is on track to be the starter again in San Francisco.
Every team hopes to find that “diamond in the rough”. In 2023, the Cardinals hope to find a hidden gem of their own.
Owen Pappoe was feeling it after running a 4.46u. 😜 @AuburnFootball
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/LEgF4eCzfz— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
The Arizona Cardinals Hidden Gem Is Owen Pappoe
Owen Pappoe has been “The Freak” Pappoe got the nickname from his high school defensive coordinator after the last game of his first season playing football in middle school and is his Twitter handle. The 6-foot, 228-pound tornado from Auburn ran a 4.39 40 and benched 225 pounds 29 times.
Not picked until the fifth-round, coach Jonathan Gannon said that they were surprised to get him where they did. The type of linebacker Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis seek begins will begin being able to play in space. Pappoe is an absolute gym rat who takes care of his body. He received his degree in exercise science and has expressed an interest in finding a role in the NFL as a strength and conditioning coach.
In 2022, the Cardinals defense gave up the most yards after receptions in the NFL despite having the second-highest blitz rate. Their effort landed them in the bottom 10 teams in sacks. Arizona does have both Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons and added Kyzir White from the Philadelphia Eagles via free agency. For his part, Pappoe ran the fastest 40-yard dash for a linebacker since 2000. He clocked a 4.46 40-yard dash and led LB’s in bench-press reps.
Owen Pappoe was feeling it after running a 4.46u. 😜 @AuburnFootball
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/LEgF4eCzfz— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
Pappoe went to Auburn with a team who had gone 9-4 and defeated Alabama 48-45 in the Iron Bowl in 2019. The Tigers would go on to post records of 6-7 and 5-7 in his final two seasons. Coming into the draft, hopes were higher than where he was ultimately selected. The primary knock on the Tigers linebacker was his size, or lack of.
Bottom Line on Owen Pappoe
The fifth-round pick is in an ideal situation in Arizona. The Cardinals in 2023 are a team looking for anything to build on, so Owen Pappoe has that rare opportunity to create his own good fortune. Despite his size, fans should remember Patriots linebacker Teddy Bruschi. Bruschi was another “undersized” player who few gave an opportunity to. Pappoe is a player who could stick and make himself a real asset in Arizona. Proving to be both a diamond in rough, and a hidden gem for the Cardinals.
