The Arizona Cardinals have amassed an expansive history of first-round NFL Draft picks since the franchise’s inception in 1936. They’ve experienced varying degrees of success in Round 1 across the years, but the high points have been very high indeed. Let’s take a closer look at Arizona’s track record in the first round.

Arizona Cardinals First-Round Draft Picks Throughout History

Of the 91 first-round picks the Cardinals have amassed, only four have gone on to join the Hall of Fame ranks, though a fifth may soon follow in Larry Fitzgerald. Joe Namath is listed on the Cardinals’ NFL Draft history, but he never played a down for the team. Back when the AFL and NFL were separate, both the Cardinals and Jets drafted Namath, and Namath elected to play in New York.

Entering the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, the Cardinals haven’t selected an inducted Hall of Famer in Round 1 since 1969.

2023

• Paris Johnson Jr. | Pick 6
  OL, Ohio State

2022

The Cardinals did not select in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

2021

• Zaven Collins | Pick 16
  LB, Tulsa

2020

• Isaiah Simmons | Pick 8
  LB, Clemson

2019

• Kyler Murray | Pick 1
  QB, Oklahoma

2018

• Josh Rosen | Pick 10
  QB, UCLA

2017

• Haason Reddick | Pick 13
  LB, Temple

2016

• Robert Nkemdiche | Pick 29
  DT, Mississippi

2015

• D.J. Humphries | Pick 24
  OT, Florida

2014

• Deone Bucannon | Pick 27
  DB, Washington State

2013

• Jonathan Cooper | Pick 7
  G, North Carolina

2012

• Michael Floyd | Pick 13
  WR, Notre Dame

2011

• Patrick Peterson | Pick 5
  DB, LSU

2010

• Dan Williams | Pick 26
  DT, Tennessee

2009

• Beanie Wells | Pick 31
  RB, Ohio State

2008

• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | Pick 16
  DB, Tennessee State

2007

• Levi Brown | Pick 5
  OT, Penn State

2006

• Matt Leinart | Pick 10
  QB, USC

2005

• Antrel Rolle | Pick 8
  DB, Miami (FL)

2004

• Larry Fitzgerald | Pick 3
  WR, Pittsburgh

2003

• Bryant Johnson | Pick 17
  WR, Penn State
• Calvin Pace | Pick 18
  DE, Wake Forest

2002

• Wendell Bryant | Pick 12
  DT, Wisconsin

2001

• Leonard Davis | Pick 2
  OT, Texas

2000

• Thomas Jones | Pick 7
  RB, Virginia

1999

• David Boston | Pick 8
  WR, Ohio State
• L.J. Shelton | Pick 21
  OT, Eastern Michigan

1998

• Andre Wadsworth | Pick 3
  DE, Florida State

1997

• Tom Knight | Pick 9
  DB, Iowa

1996

• Simeon Rice | Pick 3
  DE, Illinois

1995

The Cardinals traded the 16th overall pick to the New York Jets.

1994

• Jamir Miller | Pick 10
  LB, UCLA

1993

• Garrison Hearst | Pick 3
  RB, Georgia
• Ernest Dye | Pick 18
  OT, South Carolina

1992

The Cardinals traded the seventh pick to the Miami Dolphins.

1991

• Eric Swann | Pick 6
  DT, Wake Technical CC

1990

The Cardinals did not select in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft.

1989

• Eric Hill | Pick 10
  LB, LSU
• Joe Wolf | Pick 17
  OT, Boston College

1988

• Ken Harvey | Pick 12
  LB, California

1987

• Kelly Stouffer | Pick 6
  QB, Colorado State

1986

• Anthony Bell | Pick 5
  LB, Michigan State

1985

• Freddie Joe Nunn | Pick 18
  DE, Mississippi

1984

• Clyde Duncan | Pick 17
  WR, Tennessee

1983

• Leonard Smith | Pick 17
  DB, McNeese State

1982

• Luis Sharpe | Pick 16
  OT, UCLA

1981

• E.J. Junior | Pick 5
  LB, Alabama

1980

• Curtis Greer | Pick 6
  DE, Michigan

1979

• Ottis Anderson | Pick 8
  RB, Miami (FL)

1978

• Steve Little | Pick 15
  K, Arkansas
• Ken Greene | Pick 19
  DB, Washington State

1977

• Steve Pisarkiewicz | Pick 19
  QB, Missouri

1976

• Mike Dawson | Pick 22
  DT, Arizona

1975

• Tim Gray | Pick 21
  DB, Texas A&M

1974

• J.V. Cain | Pick 7
  TE, Colorado

1973

• Dave Butz | Pick 5
  DT, Purdue

1972

• Ahmad Rashad | Pick 4
  WR, Oregon

1971

• Norm Thompson | Pick 17
  DB, Utah

1970

• Larry Stegent | Pick 8
  RB, Texas A&M

1969

• Roger Wehrli* | Pick 19
  DB, Missouri

1968

• MacArthur Lane | Pick 13
  RB, Utah State

1967

• Dave Williams | Pick 16
  WR, Washington

1966

• Carl McAdams | Pick 8
  DT, Oklahoma

1965

• Joe Namath* | Pick 12
  QB, Alabama
  Namath did not play for the Cardinals franchise.

1964

• Ken Kortas | Pick 9
  DT, Louisville

1963

• Jerry Stovall | Pick 2
  DB, LSU
• Don Brumm | Pick 13
  DE, Purdue

1962

• Fate Echols | Pick 6
  OT, Northwestern
• Irv Goode | Pick 12
  G, Kentucky

1961

• Ken Rice | Pick 8
  OT, Auburn

1960

• George Izo | Pick 2
  QB, Notre Dame

1959

• Billy Stacy | Pick 3
  DB, Mississippi State

1958

• King Hill | Pick 1
  QB, Rice
• John David Crow | Pick 2
  HB, Texas A&M

1957

• Jerry Tubbs | Pick 10
  LB, Oklahoma

1956

• Joe Childress | Pick 7
  HB, Auburn

1955

• Max Boydston | Pick 2
  TE, Oklahoma

1954

• Lamar McHan | Pick 2
  QB, Arkansas

1953

• Johnny Olszewski | Pick 4
  FB, California

1952

• Ollie Matson* | Pick 3
  RB, San Francisco

1951

• Jerry Groom | Pick 6
  DT, Notre Dame

1950

The Cardinals traded the ninth pick to the Los Angeles Rams.

1949

• Bill Fischer | Pick 10
  OT, Notre Dame

1948

• Jim Spavital | Pick 11
  FB, Oklahoma State

1947

• Tex Coulter | Pick 7
  OT, Army

1946

• Dub Jones | Pick 2
  RB, LSU

1945

• Charley Trippi* | Pick 1
  HB, Georgia

1944

• Pat Harder | Pick 2
  FB, Wisconsin

1943

• Glenn Dobbs | Pick 3
  RB, Tulsa

1942

• Steve Lach | Pick 4
  RB, Duke

1941

• John Kimbrough | Pick 2
  FB, Texas A&M

1940

• George Cafego | Pick 1
  FB, Tennessee

1939

• Ki Aldrich | Pick 1
  C, TCU

1938

• Jack Robbins | Pick 5
  RB, Arkansas

1937

• Ray Buivid | Pick 3
  QB, Marquette

1936

• Jimmy Lawrence | Pick 5
  RB, TCU

*Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame