Arizona Cardinals Rookie One of NFL's Top Preseason Performers

The Arizona Cardinals' late-round pick stood out on Saturday.

Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Kitan Crawford (36) intercepts a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mac Dalena (84) during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals face a good problem. Their day-three depth players are making waves.

In Saturday's (generally) well-executed win over the Kansas City Chiefs to open the 2025 preseason, there was plenty to examine, break down and take in.

Arizona's first-team looked generally sharp, and their depth was on full display as they held on to a thin win over one of the deeper teams in the NFL.

While there was a great deal of focus laid on multiple aspects of the win (including QB Kyler Murray's well-circulated mistake), one of the more under-the-radar players on this Cardinals roster made a solid argument to carve out a role for himself.

And according to one national outlet, he was one of the best rookie performers in the NFL in week one.

Arizona Cardinals' Rookie One of NFL's Top Preseason Performers

Pro Football Focus' Lauren Gray took a look at the top 10 rookie performers in week one of the 2025 preseason — based, of course, on PFF's grading scale.

According to Gray, Cardinals versatile DB Kitan Crawford was the fifth-best rookie performer, picking up an excellent 92.5 grade in Saturday's win.

"Crawford was targeted only once across 21 coverage snaps against the Chiefs," Gray wrote.

"The result of the play was a leaping interception in the end zone on third-and-16 while he was manning the middle of the field in zone coverage. Crawford was one of two rookie safeties to record an interception this weekend."

That interception was a thing of beauty. Crawford looked more like a wideout high-pointing the football than the receiver he was covering.

rookie with the end zone pick!@KitanCrawford | @NevadaFootball pic.twitter.com/iGtaYYrK8m

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 10, 2025

Crawford does have an uphill battle ahead of him, as he was taken in the final round of the 2025 Draft. But his versatility and pure athleticism do suggest he may be a valuable player to have on the field at times.

The 23-year-old played four seasons of college football at Texas before transferring to Nevada. There, he managed to record 76 tackles in his final season.

The Cardinals' secondary depth did take a hit recently, losing CB Starling Thomas V to a torn ACL. But a player like Crawford who has positional versatility and raw athleticism might offer him an advantage.

Arizona is not debating who their starting DBs will be. Will Johnson, Garrett Williams and Max Melton, barring injury, will man the CB positions. Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson and perhaps Dadrion Taylor Demerson will be the safeties.

But plays like the one Crawford made on Saturday are the types of plays that stand out to coaching staffs in the NFL. The Cardinals may have something in Crawford, even if he's a more developmental project.