TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Cardinals traded down three spots in the second round, then used the pick to select defensive end/outside linebacker Markus Golden of Missouri.
The Cardinals moved from 55th to 58th overall in a trade with Baltimore, acquiring a fifth-round draft pick from the Ravens (158th overall) in the deal.
The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Golden was a second-team all-SEC selection as a senior. A defensive-end in college, he figures to play outside linebacker in the Cardinals' 3-4 scheme. Golden's fellow Missouri defensive end Shane Ray was drafted by Denver in the first round, the 23rd pick overall.
Golden was selected higher than many had projected.
His relatively small size had counted against him in some pre-draft analysis, as did a perceived lack of speed. But he said the Cardinals overlooked all that to see a football player.
"They seen me on film," he said. "They didn't worry about all those measurables and short arms and all that because they know I'm a football player. They know I can get after it. They know I can bring excitement and I'm going to come in and go hard every day, in a game, in practice, everything I do."
Golden had 78 tackles, 35 solos, and 10 sacks in 13 games for the Tigers last season. He had 20 tackles for loss. The previous year, as backup to Michael Sam, Golden had 55 tackles, 36 solos, and 6 sacks in 14 games. He played one season at Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior College before going to Missouri.
Asked to describe himself as a pass rusher, Golden said, "I'm just relentless, relentless. Whatever I have to do to get to that quarterback, I'm going to do."
He said he had played outside linebacker his entire career before going to Missouri.
"So I'm just going back to my natural position," Golden said. "That's what I'm happy about is that I get to go back to linebacker and I don't have to be in a three-point stance. I'm really excited about getting out of the three-point stance."
The trade gives Arizona consecutive picks in the fifth round. It is the third year in a row that the Cardinals traded down to get an additional selection.
