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Cardinals building dominant defense by focusing on talent over character concerns

Kamil Krzaczynski / USA TODAY Sports

Robert Nkemdiche's collegiate recruitment process was a star-spangled affair in certain parts of the United States.

The top-ranked recruit in the 2013 high school class, he drew comparisons to Hall of Fame defensive end Reggie White, and some labeled him the best prospect from the region since the 1980s.

Three years ago, it would've been shocking if there was a barrier to entry in the professional ranks for Nkemdiche. Unfortunately, a myriad of concerns over his marijuana use caused him to descend through the first round Thursday.

"There were some things I did off the field and these were repercussions," Nkemdiche admitted to NFL Network's Deion Sanders.

Once again, the Arizona Cardinals proved that talent and professional infrastructure trump inane moral panic, selecting him 29th overall.

"I think the culture of the locker room speaks for itself," Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said of how Nkemdiche will adjust to the Cardinals.

The Cardinals underwent this exact scenario when Tyrann Mathieu dropped to the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Mathieu, one of the most prolific collegiate defensive backs of his generation, was booted from LSU due to multiple failed tests for marijuana. His draft experience was showcased in a 2016 NFL Films production, where Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson vouched for his friend's character. Arians saw no debilitating issues, and since then Mathieu's evolved into the best safety in the NFL.

When Mathieu tore his ACL last December, Arians fought back tears, calling the All-Pro defensive back his favorite player. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said Mathieu was involved in the vetting process of Nkemdiche.

With a clear precedent ahead, he could go from enigmatic college player to valued franchise pillar in little time, under the tutelage of a progressive system in Arizona.

Nkemdiche will be paired alongside another standout defensive lineman in Chandler Jones, who also recently drew the ire of some for reportedly using synthetic marijuana. The Cardinals acquired the Pro Bowl defensive end for Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick, a small cost to pay for a player approaching the apex of his career, with no violent or disturbing incidents in his past.

After acquiring Nkemdiche and Jones, the Cardinals boast one of the league's most ferocious front sevens in the NFL, in large part due to taking a chance on their talent and organizational stability winning out.

Certainly, there's reason for NFL teams to conduct extensive checks on potential candidates. What's set the Cardinals apart is their ability to view college kids as people with room to grow, and separate their mistakes from the talented, multifaceted people that they are, both on and off the field. It's a philosophy that's served the emerging powerhouse well in past years, and Nkemdiche may reinforce that the Cardinals' ethos of talent trumping all is the model to follow.

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