DRC Fresh Azimiz

First off, that song, fresh azimiz, is one of the best songs to put to a youtube highlight.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a big part of the Cardinals late season success. You are going to want to keep your eye on 29 this Sunday.

DRC was my man pre NFL draft last year. He went to Tennessee State University, a Div 1-AA football program. He was a playmaker with the measurables that turned heads, 6'2 and a supposed 4.3 40 yard dash. But he never played against top comp right? and hes a little thin at 180 lbs right? To answer those questions he suited up to play in the Senior Bowl where he could match up against the other D1 NFL prospects. How'd it go? He dominated in the game and in practice all week (see highlight below) enough to be starting in the Superbowl the same week a year later.



After the Senior Bowl came the NFL combine, a place where rumors of 4.3 40's come to die. Just not this time. He ran a 4.33 laser timed 40 yard dash and his 38.5 vertical leap wasn't topped by any other CB or WR... Arizona selected Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 16th overall in the first round of the NFL draft. The move allowed Arizona to move Antrel Rolle to free safety and pair him with the forever underrated Adrian Wilson.

Rodgers-Cromartie, who is one of the handful of athletes with a connection to the Florida area that Deion Sanders mentors, started the season as the team's starting nickelback (3rd corner), behind Rod Hood and Eric Green. But practicing against, and getting torched by, Fitz/Boldin made his adjustment period a rapid one.

Rodgers Cromartie played his way into the starters role by week 9 and hasn't even glanced back. With 6 interceptions as a rookie, one returned 99 yards, he seems to have his cousin Antonio's knack for big plays. It was an element Arizona was lacking.

Statistically there has only been one big change in Arizona over this playoff run, improved pass defense. I won't bore you with the numbers but its there. Teams pick on Hood while DRC has matched up against and for the most part shut down Roddy White, Steve Smith, and Desean Jackson. Cromartie is getting better every game. Watch for him to be matched up against burner Santonio Holmes, who killed Balt, Sunday night.



The term is overused but a true shutdown corner is rare and turns an average defense into a good one. The Cards have a developing one in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. All Im asking is that you keep an eye on that angle in the Superbowl.

Edit: After I wrote this I saw the Globe did a similar piece today. I was kinda pissedappointed but whatever. The guy in the globe got his 40 time wrong anyway. Nice job Glasper.

- Jared Wolfe