Temple's Haason Reddick Drafted By Arizona Cardinals 13th Overall

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Former Temple University standout Haason Reddick was one of the top picks in Thursday's NFL Draft.

The linebacker was taken 13th overall by the Arizona Cardinals.

Reddick started as a walk on and rose to be a star.

"It's something that you have to want," Reddick said. "I wanted it for myself."

Born and raised in Camden, Reddick didn't always stand out. A high school injury sidelined him at a critical time. But Reddick always knew could make it to the NFL and was determined to prove it when he walked on to the Temple football team in 2012.

"I don't think I would have been able to rise, if I wasn't under the radar," he said. "It was all up to me, you know, how much work was I going to put in to get to my dream."

Fast forward -- and thanks to the support of his parents and former Temple head coach Matt Rule -- Reddick stayed focused and worked hard.

READ: Temple Product Could Be One Of First Players Selected In Upcoming NFL Draft

"I have the mindset that whenever I go out on the field I'm dominating whoever's in front of me," Reddick said.

He stood out junior year in the Owls' win over Penn State -- and then senior year -- ranking second in the AAC with 10.5 sacks. At the columbine and beyond, his stock continued to rise, garnering him the keys to his home city of Camden earlier this week.

"Going from where they said I could have been to where I could end up it's all been beautiful," he said.

Reddick met with the Eagles and would love to play for his hometown team, but he says he would be happy to go to any team.

"I think it would be crazy and I think the city would be happy with that," he said, "but any team will do."

As for what he'll buy first -- a home for his mother.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.