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The Arizona Cardinals entered the 2019 NFL draft with the number one overall pick and two handfuls of other draft picks to play around with.
Well, not really to play around, as the franchise was fresh off having the worst record in the league. As such, the team’s front office was tasked with drafting smartly to ensure they avoided a prolonged period of mediocrity.
To celebrate a monumental draft for the Cardinals, let’s take a deep dive into the team’s first three picks in the 2019 NFL draft as we highlight whether they were booms or busts.
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Did Arizona Cardinals do justice with their top three 2019 NFL Draft picks?
Looking back at the Cardinals’ top three picks in the 2019 NFL draft, it’s clear that the team didn’t do justice with their picks, and here’s why.
Let’s start with the first overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft.
#1 Kyler Murray, QB, Round 1, pick 1 (No. 1 overall)
Murray was selected as the first overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft out of Oklahoma State University.
The pocket-sized QB was compared to Russell Wilson entering the league, and he was seen as a generational prospect by many NFL analysts. The question was whether, at 5′ 10″, Murray could consistently play from within the pocket, which is mandatory for NFL success, no matter how electric a QB might be at scrambling.
Murray answered every single question asked of him and then some. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler and has led his team to the postseason. Murray was also seen as a dark horse in the MVP race in the 2021 NFL season, a ringing endorsement for the team that drafted him.
Yes, Kyler Murray still has some things to work on, like his attitude, football IQ and tendency to play hero ball. However, few dual-threat QBs in today’s NFL are as feared as Murray, who has an NFL stat line of 13,848 passing yards, 84 touchdowns and 41 interceptions in 57 games. He also has 2,204 rushing yards and 23 ground TDs for good measure.
#2 Byron Murphy, CB, Round 2, pick 1 (No. 33 overall)
Murphy came into the NFL fresh off winning MVP at the 2018 Pac-12 Football Championship Game.
He was one of the best cornerbacks of his class, and cornerback was a position the Arizona Cardinals needed to be more robust. So, the Cardinals drafted the Washington alum with their first pick of the second round to fill their need at secondary.
Murphy was in and out of the Cardinals’ starting lineup in his first season, and he snagged his first NFL interception in week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That was the highlight of his rookie season.
Murphy’s Cardinals’ career saw few moments of note, as he was never a valid starting option for the Cards. He was eventually released at the end of his rookie contract in the 2023 off-season.
He has since signed for the Minnesota Vikings. Byron Murphy put up a stat line of 229 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, 34 pass deflections, five interceptions, one forced fumble, five fumble recoveries and two touchdowns in his time in Arizona.
#3 Andy Isabella, WR, Round 2, pick 30 (No. 62 overall)
Andy Isabella had 231 receptions for 3,526 yards and 30 touchdowns in college, so there was a decent wide receiver somewhere.
However, that college form never translated to the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals’ other second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He finished his rookie season with nine receptions for 189 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown, not good enough numbers for a formal college standout.
If you thought that was uninspiring, look at his last season with the Cardinals, where he had one catch the entire season and was inactive for half the season. Isabella was waived by the Cardinals on October 4, 2022, putting an end to his miserable spell in Arizona.
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