{"id":52509,"date":"2025-05-15T16:25:10","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T16:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/52509\/"},"modified":"2025-05-15T16:25:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T16:25:10","slug":"too-big-to-go-to-space-cardinals-rookie-hayden-conner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/52509\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Too big to go to space’: Cardinals rookie Hayden Conner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\ufeff<\/p>\n

At 6-foot-6, Cardinals rookie offensive lineman Hayden Conner is about 3 inches too tall to be an astronaut \u2014 a childhood dream of his.<\/p>\n

A trip to space is \u201cstill in (his) back pocket,\u201d however, Conner told Bickley & Marotta\u00a0on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

However, his size and football IQ have made the pursuit of Conner\u2019s new day job a reality.<\/p>\n

The Texas Longhorns product was drafted in the sixth round by Arizona with a chance to compete for playing time without a clear-cut starting right guard on the roster.<\/p>\n

In three years as a starter for the Longhorns, Conner didn\u2019t miss one<\/a> of their 43 games and solely handled left guard. Despite this assignment, general manager Monti Ossenfort did his homework and discovered that the 314-pounder can play all five positions on the offensive line.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it gives me a lot of versatility and flexibility in terms of being able to play all five (positions),\u201d Conner said. \u201cIt allows me to understand certain concepts differently than other people, but this isn\u2019t college offense anymore. So it\u2019s definitely an adjustment period for sure, but I feel like I\u2019m adjusting pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n

And with Evan Brown to occupy the left guard spot after inking a two-year contract in March, Conner will be competing with Isaiah Adams and Jon Gaines II for right guard.<\/p>\n

For Conner, this internal competition was expected, and he is looking forward to taking notes \u201cfrom the older guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides excellent height and positional versatility, NFL analyst Lance Zierlein<\/a> in his pre-draft scouting of Conner highlighted the lineman\u2019s ability \u201cto shove twisters and edge runners off course.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for areas of improvement entering his rookie campaign, Zierlein said Conner needs to address his pad level when being double-teamed and not \u201coverextend(ing) when mirroring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hayden Conner\u2019s level of violence<\/p>\n

Anyone who spends more than a minute around Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon learns how much he enjoys the violence of football.<\/p>\n

Conner\u2019s self-proclaimed violence level?<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, I\u2019m violent when I need to be. I\u2019m controlled when I need to be, and I think that\u2019s one of my strengths,\u201d Conner said.<\/p>\n

Well, he didn\u2019t exactly say he\u2019s a 10 out of 10, but Gannon and Co. must see enough of that energy to give him a shot.<\/p>\n

What does Conner think of former Sun Devil Cam Skattebo?<\/p>\n

The newest member of the Arizona O-line summed up former Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo in one word: \u201cunreal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conner got a first-hand look at the Sun Devil in the New Year\u2019s Day Peach Bowl, a College Football Playoff game that Texas won, 39-31, in the second overtime.<\/p>\n

And Skattebo, who was a fourth-round selection<\/a> by the New York Giants, really was unreal. He rattled off 242 all-purpose yards, two rushing touchdowns and a 42-yard passing score as the cherry on top.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were biting our dang nails the whole time, but it was awesome,\u201d Conner said of Texas prevailing 39-31 in double overtime.<\/p>\n

Cardinals rookie Hayden Conner was on the other side of Cam Skattebo’s CFP Peach Bowl performance, when Texas pulled out a win against ASU.@Bickley_Marotta<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jzqa44q7ih<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Arizona Sports (@AZSports) May 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Sharing Texas roots with quarterback Kyler Murray<\/p>\n

Conner, a native of Katy, Texas, grew up about 250 miles south of his new signal caller Kyler Murray, who was born in Bedford. Four years separate the two, Conner recently turning 23 and Murray 27.<\/p>\n

Conner gave K1 his props for an \u201cunbelieveable\u201d high school career in the Lone Star state \u2014 Murray went 42-0 at Allen High School. However, he isn\u2019t as thrilled with Murray\u2019s college of choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, he went to OU, so that kind of sucks,\u201d Conner said with a laugh. \u201cBut, yeah, it\u2019s awesome to be able to have the opportunity to block for him. He\u2019s definitely a different style quarterback than I\u2019m used to. I think I\u2019ll adjust well to how fast and mobile he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Follow @pwmoses11<\/a><\/p>\n

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