Cardinals not concerned about Nkemdiche's character

There were some character concerns with Robert Nkemdiche entering the NFL draft, but the Arizona Cardinals weren't fazed.

The Cardinals snagged Nkemdiche late in the first round after he fell down draft boards for getting arrested late last year for marijuana possession. The Ole Miss defensive lineman was subsequently suspended for the Sugar Bowl as a result of the incident.

"I think the culture of the locker room speaks for itself," head coach Bruce Arians said when asked about Nkemdiche's character.

General manager Steve Keim added that every prospect has risks, but Arizona felt Nkemdiche was too good to pass up.

The Cardinals took a similar risk with safety Tyrann Mathieu and it paid off. Mathieu has developed into one of the premier defenders in the game after many shied away from drafting him. The team hopes Nkemdiche will turn out to be another steal.