One of the greatest "what-ifs" in Arizona Cardinals history happened in 2007, when they selected tackle Levi Brown fifth overall in the 2007, passing on running back Adrian Peterson, who went seventh overall to the Minnesota Vikings.
Many thought Peterson should have been the pick, and many believed he would be, but with a new head coach in Ken Whisenhunt and with Edgerrin James already on the roster, they wanted a left tackle to protect quarterback Matt Leinart, the Cardinals' first-round pick in 2006.
When Brown was the selection, Cardinals fans were disappointed. We can add one more person to the group of those who were surprised or disappointed. Peterson himself thought he would be a Cardinal.
“Yep, I sure did (think the Cardinals would draft
me,” Peterson said in an interview for Rotogrinders. “I was like, ‘Hey, they’ve got Larry (Fitzgerald), a good squad.’ And they had a void in the running back position room. I felt like, shoot, if I slip to 5, then Arizona is going to take me for sure.
“That didn’t happen and I was like, ‘Damn, OK. Levi Brown?’ I didn’t really know Levi Brown like that. I ain’t going to lie. In my mind I was like, ‘They’re going to take Levi Brown over me?’ OK. It is what it is.”
Peterson was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2007, rushing for 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns. James rushed for 1,222 yards for the Cardinals in 2007 with seven scores, but he would not surpass 1,000 again in his career.
Peterson would lead the NFL in rushing three times with the Vikings. He was the 2012 MVP, he made seven Pro Bowls and he was a four-time first-team All-Pro.
He eventually played for the Cardinals in 2017, getting traded from the New Orleans Saints. He rushed for 448 yards in six games before suffering a season-ending neck injury. He had a 15-year career and is eligible for the Hall of Fame next year.
Would all that have happened had the Cardinals drafted him? That is impossible to say, but it is hard not to wonder how things would have been different with Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Kurt Warner. Perhaps they would have been able to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Adrian Peterson thought he would be drafted by Arizona Cardinals
