Why Cardinals Draft Pick Can Become Fan-Favorite

There was zero chance the Arizona Cardinals were going to go through the 2025 NFL Draft without selecting at least one football player from THE Ohio State University.

Some teams have an affinity toward a certain program and the Cardinals doubled-down on their love for Ohio State - literally - when they ended up selecting two Buckeyes.

The first of two was linebacker Cody Simon.

Simon was a guy who had to fight his way onto the field. He was a consensus top-100 recruit in the 2020 high school cycle and a four-star product, but he found himself fighting for a spot on a crowded Buckeyes team.

In his five seasons in Columbus, Simon battled standout linebackers like Pete Werner and Tommy Eichenberg for playing time, along with countless others who pushed to find the field. Simply put, nothing was given to Simon.

But instead of entering the NCAA Transfer Portal and looking for somewhere else to play right away, he stuck it out, got better, and was rewarded for it.

That's the kind of attitude and determination that makes players like Simon standout and become fan favorites. And it's also what makes Simon such a "perfect" fit for the Cardinals.

Why Cody Simon Made Perfect Sense for Cardinals

1) Mr. Do-It-All

Whatever you value in a linebacker, Simon can do it. The vet is an elite run defender, rushes the quarterback (seven sacks in 2024), and flies to the football. There's work to be done in pass coverage, but he is far from a weakness in that department.

And for what it's worth, he spent some time in the slot on defense (110 snaps per PFF), so he's truly a player to be moved around for matchups purposes.

2) Leadership qualities

Simon earned the right to wear #0 for Ohio State, which is an honor reserved for the greatest of leaders. He spent four seasons working his way tirelessly through the lineup from special teams to a rotational role and finally to the man running the defense.

Simon commands the respect of the defense and can inherit that same role quickly with Arizona.

3) Willingness to contribute

Taking those first two points and applying them here paints a perfect image of the player and individual that Simon. In an era where the Transfer Portal allows you to move around the country freely with next to no punishments, Simon could've left Columbus anytime and played for a myriad of teams who would've loved him.

Instead, he stuck it out and did whatever was asked of him. It turned Simon into a player who will take any role you give him.

We don't find many football players like Simon these days -- someone who is willing to work from nothing to greatness no matter how hard it all may be.

Ohio State is one of the most difficult programs to crack a lineup considering the amount of talent they funnel in on an annual basis, and Simon had to fight through it every season. And yet, he never gave up and was rewarded for his efforts.

We got to see him mature as a player on and off the field and it made him someone that Cardinals fans could easily fall in love with. Don't be surprised to see Simon become a fan favorite sooner rather than later.