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PFF ranks former Arizona Cardinals LB best rookie since 2006

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 11:09 PM ET

GLENDALE – With rookie minicamp finished, and voluntary OTAs in progress, the Arizona Cardinals get their first look of this year’s draft picks in the team’s uniform. 1st-round pick Walter Nolen and 2nd-round steal Will Johnson are the marquee of this year’s class for the franchise. Both will have the chance to be immediate impact players for head coach Jonathan Gannon’s squad next year, and could be one of the best rookies in recent memory.

According to Pro Football Focus, the bar to be the Cardinals best rookie was set in 2010 by linebacker Daryl Washington, who they graded an 86.9 in his debut year.

PFF on Washington:

After being selected out of TCU in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Washington was the Cardinals’ highest-graded defender as a rookie. His 40 defensive stops ranked fourth among his teammates, even though he played just 518 snaps for the year. He earned high PFF grades across the board, particularly in run defense and coverage.

After his rookie season, Washington became one of the leaders of Arizona’s defense, recording back-to-back seasons with 100+ tackles. Washington made his lone Pro Bowl season in 2012, tallying nine sacks and 134 tackles. The former TCU linebacker was set to be one of the best linebackers the franchise has ever seen.

However, Washington would violate the league’s substance abuse policy, being suspended for the entire 2014 season and never played in the NFL again. A disappointing end to a linebacker that showed so much potential for the Cardinals.

Nolen and Johnson will have the opportunity to surpass Washington and be a decade-long staple for this defense. The duo will have the tutelage of veterans to help them adjust to the NFL. Nolen will have future Hal of Famer Calais Campbell, and Johnson will have Budda Baker in the secondary alongside him to lead the charge.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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