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Arizona Cardinals: Top 5 breakout player candidates for 2018

By Sayre Bedinger

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 03: Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones #86 of the Arizona Cardinals lines up during the NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 32-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 03: Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones #86 of the Arizona Cardinals lines up during the NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 32-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 24: Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche #90 of the Arizona Cardinals runs in a 21-yard fumble recovery touchdown against the New York Giants in the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 24: Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche #90 of the Arizona Cardinals runs in a 21-yard fumble recovery touchdown against the New York Giants in the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

2. Robert Nkemdiche, DL

It all has to click for Nkemdiche at some point, right?

The former Ole Miss star and first-round pick is reaching the point in his NFL career where the ‘bust’ talk is going to start popping up.

What looked like a great value pick for the Cardinals in the 2016 NFL Draft is now looking more like fools gold as Nkemdiche has only been on the field for 17 games in his two NFL seasons and has just 12 total tackles.

He also doesn’t have any sacks yet.

New defensive coordinator Al Holcomb has vowed to extract the best out of Nkemdiche, and if he can do it, it will be a sight to see.

Nkemdiche is so physically gifted and talented, capable of completely taking over games when he’s motivated to do so. But we haven’t seen that since he was at Ole Miss.

He’s got to either break out this year, or he’s going to be a former first-round pick getting looks from NFL teams trying to develop his talent one year after another before flaming out in his late 20s.

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