Cardinals Rookie Profile: Owen Pappoe Can Evolve Into Star Status

Owen Pappoe was made a fifth-round choice by the Arizona Cardinals and there's reason to believe the undersized athlete could make an impact in year one.

The Arizona Cardinals made a former 5-star linebacker prospect a member of their team when they selected Auburn's Owen Pappoe in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Most players selected that late are depth pieces at best, but Pappoe has a lot of football history and his athletic profile is jaw-dropping.

Pappoe wound up being one of the standouts at the position during his workout in Indianapolis for the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, but even beyond that Pappoe has been a household name in the southeast region of the United States for several years. 

Pappoe was a highly-touted recruit out of Georgia and immediately started for the Tigers as a freshman. He would end up becoming a captain by his junior year and never relinquished a full-time starting role in his four years at Auburn.

There are some limitations to Pappoe's game and it can likely be akin to his lack of size at just 6'0" 225lbs. Even though Pappoe is lightning fast, his lack of size shows up on tape and could limit him at the next level.

Nonetheless, Pappoe is a prized member of Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon's debut draft class with the Cardinals and it's time we take a closer dive into him and get to know the fifth-round draft choice.

Accomplishments

• Former 5-star recruit in 2019
• Top-ranked outside linebacker
• Fourth-ranked Georgia prospect
• 25th overall ranked national prospect
• Two-time team captain (2021, 2022)
• Started every game he played in (41 career games) 
• Over 2,200 defensive snaps played
• 256 career tackles, 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two interceptions

2023 NFL Draft profile

• Highly-touted high school prospect who started every game he suited up for at Auburn
• Undersized linebacker at 6'0" 225lbs.
• Double-plus athlete at the position
• Highly productive SEC player

What the tape shows

You won't find many players at the linebacker position who possess the pure athletic gifts that Pappoe has. Pappoe is, however, very light for the position. Pappoe is a blindingly fast defender who can track the ball with ease thanks to that speed, however, his willingness to engage blockers is inconsistent. 

Pappoe hasn't shown too much ability to shed blocks and he may be too light to consistently do so at the next level, so he instead will wait for a lane to open for him to secure the tackle. This is absolutely something that can be worked on and coached.

Where many will fall in love with Pappoe is in his leadership skills. Pappoe started 41 games at Auburn against SEC competition and it clearly shows in his confidence to call out the defense and even make adjustments with quarterback audibles. The game comes very naturally to Pappoe, but his physical limitations have slowed him down from being a next-level difference-maker.

Projected role for 2023

The Cardinals have some great depth at the linebacker position; so much so that Isaiah Simmons is moving to the secondary and Zaven Collins is moving to the edge. Between free agent signees Kyzir White and Krys Barnes, it could be difficult for Pappoe to see the field consistently on defense.

But as many Cardinals defenders have come to learn, standing out on special teams will be a great way to find some more playing time. Pappoe's speed and defensive background make him an easy fit to be a special teams gunner. If Pappoe is open to a different role than he has ever seen in his lifetime, he could be a significant contributor to special teams.

Beyond 2023, Pappoe could fight for playing time next year. Being drafted by the new regime should bode well for his chances to compete for playing time, but that's down the road. As far as this season is concerned, Pappoe should look to make a niche as a special teams player and he could legitimately become a star for that unit.

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