Gerald Christian to Arizona Cardinals: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

To close out the 2015 NFL draft, the Arizona Cardinals selected Louisville tight end Gerald Christian. The 6’3”, 244-pound tight end is primarily known for his blocking acumen as opposed to his receiving talent. He did total 810 receiving yards in two seasons for Louisville.

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Final pick in the NFL Draft, #MrIrrelevant, the Cardinals select Louisville TE Gerald Christian! pic.twitter.com/wbGErVAK3A

— The Lounge (@TheLoungeSite) May 2, 2015"

Christian’s career originally began at the University of Florida in 2011. He did not receive much playing time, and he ended up transferring to Louisville.

After tight ends Troy Niklas and John Carlson, the Cardinals have an opening for a tight end with Christian’s skill set. He’s not overly long or athletic, but his game isn’t reliant on those aspects. He wins with precise routes, good hands and consistency.

The 2014 third-team All-ACC tight end drew a lofty comparison to Denver Broncos’ tight end Owen Daniels from NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein. Daniels has made a full career from being crafty and reliable. His versatility as a blocker and pass-catcher has helped him be highly productive.

If Christian ends up as the next Owen Daniels, the Cardinals really hit a home run with this pick. He isn’t a vertical threat, as was often on display on tape and his 4.89 40-yard dash indicates, but having a good short to intermediate option is a must for every offense.

Overall, there’s not much downside to the pick for Arizona. Christian comes from a Power Five conference, and he produced enough to show NFL talent. The Cardinals have a need for another tight end to work with, and Christian has the resume to fulfill that need.

All stats used are from sports-reference.com.

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

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