NFL Draft 1st Round: Arizona Cardinals Select Safety Deone Bucannon at No. 27

Feb 23, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington State strong safety

speaks to the media during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadum. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington State Cougars are back in the first round of the NFL Draft with Deone Bucannon, as the Arizona Cardinals decided they couldn’t pass him up at No. 27. He is the first Coug selected in the 1st round since cornerback Marcus Trufant was selected 11th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in 2003.

Bucannon was ranked by most draft pundits as the 3rd or 4th-best safety available and figured to be a kid that was in-play late in the first round to mid-second round. But in a wild first round, top safeties Haha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor fell much further than expected. Then, they were gone!

Known for his ability to cover a large portion of the field on a given play and also to deliver (whether by takeaway or via a crushing blow to the ball carrier) once he reaches the football, “Buc” has the talent and ability to become an immediate starter at strong safety in Arizona, opposite Tyrann Mathieu.

So Bucannon goes to the NFC West, which is becoming known for some of the best young safeties in the league. It will be fun to watch him tear it up in Arizona.