Why Cardinals Refused to Trade Last Draft Pick

Pick 226 holds a special place in the hearts of the Arizona Cardinals, thanks to Pat Tillman.

Jimbo McAllister takes picture of the Pat Tillman memorial statue outside State Farm Stadium before / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals made 12 total selections through the 2024 NFL Draft, the most in the league and also the most a single franchise has made since 1992.

One pick stands out above most.

Pick 226 is a special one in the desert, as that was the exact slot where the Cardinals drafted Pat Tillman out of Arizona State back in 1998.

Typically, seventh-round picks are nothing more than flyers on players with potential and borderline special teams contributors. Tillman managed to go above and beyond his status as a late-round selection before serving his country in the United State military, where he was ultimately killed due to friendly fire.

Arizona acquired the pick via their trade with the New York Giants ahead of the 2023 season, where former first-round pick Isaiah Simmons was sent packing.

The Cardinals had Tillman Scholars and military veterans present in Detroit to announce the selection:

The Cardinals final selection of the 2024 Draft will come at selection 226, the same spot at which they turned in this card to take Pat Tillman in 1998.

The announcement will be made by Tillman Scholars & military veterans Deborah Trimble (Air Force) & Jeremy Glasstetter (Army) pic.twitter.com/q5byodwh8O

— Mark Dalton (@CardsMarkD) April 27, 2024

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Pat Tillman's death, the @pattillmanfnd Scholars announced our 226th pick, Jaden Davis.

Pat Tillman was selected as the 226th pick 26 years ago by the Arizona Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/oDulmrRPNt

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 27, 2024

After the draft, Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort told reporters he was intent on keeping Pick 226, which was used to select Miami CB Jaden Davis:

"Then we finally finished it up with Jaden Davis, a corner from Miami. We think he's got inside-flexibility and is a good kid. It was kind of a unique situation there with the (Former Cardinals S) Pat Tillman pick. It was unique in that it wasn't our pick (originally). We picked it up back in training camp and it's just pretty cool that it was the Pat pick at number 226. It was one we tried hard all weekend to not trade. We wanted to keep that pick and thankfully it worked out and it was a really cool moment for the organization and obviously for Jaden," he said.

Davis says though he doesn't have extensive knowledge of the Cardinals or Tillman, he's honored to carry the legacy.

“I don't know much about Pat Tillman himself. I know the history that the Cardinals have shared, but I’m really excited to be honored in that way. With his pick being #226, being drafted 26 years ago and (then) serving his country. I’ve been vetting the history of it a little bit," Davis said.

"Obviously, I’m going to go into it a little bit more and deeper. I know it was really important to them. If it’s important to them, I have to make sure it’s important to me.”