Arizona Cardinals: Top 5 breakout player candidates for 2018
3. Haason Reddick, LB
It was a trying rookie season for the former top 15 draft pick out of Temple.
Haason Reddick was unstoppable at the 2017 Senior Bowl and showed off outstanding athleticism at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine before the Cardinals made a significant investment in him.
Reddick’s rookie season with the Cardinals, however, did not go as planned.
He finished with just 32 total tackles in 16 games (three starts) and 2.5 sacks.
Reddick showed at Temple his potential to be a very dynamic all-around defensive playmaker, and the hiring of Steve Wilks as the Cardinals’ head coach could propel him to new heights.
Moving to a 4-3 base defense, Reddick should be utilized much like Von Miller was when he was a rookie in a 4-3 defense with the Denver Broncos. He’s not a traditional off-ball linebacker, even though he excels in coverage as a former safety.
Reddick has the potential to be a great pass rusher and the Cardinals need to find a way to extract that ability. He should be due for a big season in 2018.