Best draft picks in Arizona Cardinals history
Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in Arizona Cardinals history using career Weighted Approximate Value (wAV), a metric developed by Pro-Football-Reference.com to estimate career impact. The ranking also lists individual accolades such as Pro Bowl selections, First-Team All-Pro honors, and total years as a starter. Players were assigned to their originally drafted teams, excluding any draft-day trades. Data is as of April 2026.
#9. Simeon Rice (1996, Round 1, Pick 3) (tie)
- Position: DE
- Career wAV: 86
- Pro Bowls: 3
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 174
- Seasons as Starter: 11
#9. Anquan Boldin (2003, Round 2, Pick 54) (tie)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 86
- Pro Bowls: 3
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 202
- Seasons as Starter: 14
#7. Larry Wilson (1960, Round 7, Pick 74) (tie)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 91
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 5
- Games Played: 169
- Seasons as Starter: 13
#7. Roger Wehrli (1969, Round 1, Pick 19) (tie)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 91
- Pro Bowls: 7
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 193
- Seasons as Starter: 13
#6. Larry Fitzgerald (2004, Round 1, Pick 3)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 93
- Pro Bowls: 11
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 263
- Seasons as Starter: 17
#5. Joe Namath (1965, Round 1, Pick 12)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 94
- Pro Bowls: 5
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 140
- Seasons as Starter: 9
#4. Ron McDole (1961, Round 4, Pick 50)
- Position: DE
- Career wAV: 97
- Pro Bowls: 2
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 240
- Seasons as Starter: 15
#3. Patrick Peterson (2011, Round 1, Pick 5)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 103
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 201
- Seasons as Starter: 13
#2. Aeneas Williams (1991, Round 3, Pick 59)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 110
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 211
- Seasons as Starter: 13
#1. Calais Campbell (2008, Round 2, Pick 50)
- Position: DE
- Career wAV: 113
- Pro Bowls: 6
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 278
- Seasons as Starter: 17
