PHILADELPHIA – Temple University Athletics has announced that the Arizona Cardinals selected Temple DE/LB Haason Reddick (Camden, N.J.) in the first round of the 2017 National Football League Draft on Thursday evening.
Reddick was the 13th selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, the fourth first round pick in Temple history joining John Rienstra (1986, 9th overall), Paul Palmer (1987, 19th overall), and Muhammad Wilkerson (2011, 30th overall). Ironically, Palmer was one of Reddick's high school coaches at Woodrow Wilson High in Camden. In addition, Reddick's new head coach with the Cardinals, Bruce Arians, was Palmer's head coach during his time with the Owls.
Temple University's DE/LB Haason Reddick poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected 13th overall by the Arizona Cardinals - photo courtesy of Temple Athletics/Zamani Feelings
Reddick was a three-year letterwinner and a team captain during his senior year. He was one of three American Athletic Conference defensive players who was selected unanimously to first-team all-conference. This past season, Reddick led the nation in TFLs with 22.5 which also tied a Temple single-season record and was second in the AAC with 10.5 sacks. He finished his career second in TFLs for the American Conference with 46.0 and was second on Temple's all-time list. Reddick was a former walk-on who moved from safety to linebacker before finding a home at defensive end.
"Haason is a huge success story for this football program," said Temple head coach Geoff Collins. "Beginning as a walk-on to earning a scholarship to earning a single-digit and now being a first round pick. We are excited for him and how he represents this football program."
Reddick is the 67th Temple football player to be drafted into the NFL. Temple had three players selected a season ago – Tavon Young, Matt Ioannidis, and Tyler Matakevich – which tied a school record for most players drafted in one year.
Reddick joins Robby Anderson (New York Jets), Kyle Friend (Pittsburgh), Ioannidis (Washington), Matakevich (Pittsburgh), Brandon McManus (Denver), Brandon Shippen (Los Angeles Rams), Tahir Whitehead (Detroit), Muhammad Wilkerson (New York Jets), and Young (Baltimore) as former Owls currently active in the NFL.
Reddick is the highest former walk-on selected in the NFL Draft since 2011 when Detroit selected BYU's Ziggy Ansah with the fifth pick. Other recent former walk-ons are Texans' J.J. Watt (Wisconsin, 2013, 11th selection) and Packers' Clay Matthews (USC, 2009, 26th selection).
(Temple University Football - Media Release)