2015 NFL Draft: Missouri Tigers’ Markus Golden Selected by Arizona Cardinals in Second Round
The Arizona Cardinals upgraded their pass rush in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, taking Missouri’s Markus Golden with the 26th pick of the second round (58th overall). Golden, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound pass rusher, played defensive end for the past two seasons at Mizzou after coming in as a linebacker. He’ll get an opportunity to play both positions in the Cardinals’ hybrid defense, as he’ll likely play a stand-up outside linebacker spot in the team’s base defense and put a hand in the dirt in sub-packages.
Golden, had 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss as a senior, his first season as a starter following the departures of Michael Sam and Kony Ealy. He initially broke onto the scene as a rotational player the season before, collecting 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss while spelling Sam.
Golden gives Mizzou the unique distinction of having both of their starting defensive ends drafted in back-to-back years. Ealy was taken in the second round and Sam in the seventh in 2014, while Golden’s fellow starter this year, Shane Ray, was taken by the Denver Broncos with the 23rd pick of the first round last night.
Depending on if you consider receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who was dismissed prior to the 2014 season, as an official Mizzou draftee, Mizzou leads the SEC with four players drafted (Ray, Green-Beckham, offensive lineman Mitch Morse, and Golden). Even if you don’t count “DGB”, Mizzou is tied with Alabama thus far.
The four Tigers who were widely seen as guaranteed to be taken have now been selected. Running back Marcus Murphy, receivers Bud Sasser and Jimmie Hunt, and defensive lineman Lucas Vincent loom as potential late-round picks.