Shaquille Riddick to Arizona Cardinals: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The Arizona Cardinals continued to invest into their defensive front with the No. 158 selection of the 2015 NFL draft. The Cardinals picked edge rusher Shaquille Riddick from West Virginia, who is one of the best athletes in the class.

Riddick is the opposite of Cardinals’ second-round pick Markus Golden. He is long, standing 6’6” and 242 pounds. His natural size and speed are tantalizing in a project.

Looking at his athletic resume, he is a high-upside prospect. He posted an excellent three-cone time of 6.8 seconds at his pro day, as well as an excellent 10’4” broad jump. His lower-body explosiveness is rare for someone his size.

NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein described Riddick as a “tall, thin frame”, but he has a promising outlook once he adds weight. Zierlein also mentioned that he comes off the snap well and his motor is impressive.

Although he played just one season at West Virginia, Riddick flashed major talent en route to seven sacks. His athleticism clearly translates to the field, which is going to be a great thing as the Cardinals develop him.

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OLB Shaq Riddick 6'6, 260 (West Virginia) weighed in 245 at his pro day, recently added 15 pounds. Riddick will play OLB on the rush side.

— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) May 2, 2015"

He is going to be a major force if he can improve his hand usage. He reportedly gained 15 pounds since the combine, which means he is NFL-ready when it comes to size. Coming from Gardner-Webb after 2013, it is understandable that he doesn’t have the polish as some other seniors do across the collegiate landscape.

Early in Riddick’s career, he will sit behind veteran LaMarr Woodley and learn the nuances of the game. He may effectively redshirt in 2015 as he adjusts to a new level of competition, and the hope is that he can play a much bigger role in 2016.

The Cardinals wanted to improve their front seven by adding a variety of players. Riddick is the best pass-rusher added, and he can complement Golden’s skill set. Golden is more of a run defender who will clean up on passing plays, whereas Riddick has the potential to be a valuable pressure-creator.

Moving into 2015, it seems the Cardinals are set with their defensive front seven. With veterans littered throughout their personnel, they now have more depth than they did before the draft weekend.

All stats used are from Sports-Reference.com.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

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