Meet the newest Cardinal — Beanie Wells

TEMPE—The Arizona Cardinals, looking to improve the worst ground game in pro football, selected running back Chris “Beanie” Wells of Ohio State with the 31st pick overall in the NFL draft.

The NFC champions wanted a running back, and Wells was the last of the top three available left when the team finally made its choice on Saturday.

Knowshon Moreno of Georgia went to Denver at No. 12 and Donald Brown of Connecticut to Indianapolis at No. 27.

Wells had been projected to go somewhere in the middle of the round, if not sooner.

“If you could have told me going into this draft today that we would have had a chance to get him with our 31st pick, I would have been very excited,” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “Needless to say, we’re very pleased. He’s been a very productive running back in a very good conference.”

Wells said he was not disappointed that he wasn’t chosen sooner.

“I knew this whole process was going to be a blessing for me,” he said. “So many kids or college players grow up wanting to play in the National Football League and I’m just blessed to have the opportunity. I’m just so excited I can’t get the words out right now.”

Concerns about durability apparently led to Wells’ availability so late in the first round. A report surfaced in the days leading up to the draft that a structural problem in his foot could lead to further injuries like the one that sidelined him for three games last season.

But Arizona general manager Rod Graves said the team was confident the foot “did not present itself as a major problem.”

“Obviously we had a chance to evaluate that at Indianapolis (combine) and we had further evaluation of him when he was here,” Graves said.

The selection means the Cardinals are expected to grant Edgerrin James’ wish to be released soon.

Despite a flurry of rumors, there was no deal for Arizona’s wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who is upset about the lack of a new contact.

“We have not received what I would consider serious interest in him up to this point,” Graves said, repeating that the team hopes to eventually re-sign him.

Whisenhunt called the lack of interest “surprising.”

“But like I said going into the draft, like Rod said, we want Anquan on the football team,” the coach said.

The Cardinals, perennial losers for decades, were in unfamiliar territory with the next-to-last pick in the first round — a product of the team’s improbable run to last season’s Super Bowl.

With James’ impending departure, Wells will join second-year pro Tim Hightower at the running back position.

“Chris is a very powerful inside runner that has excellent speed,” Whisenhunt said. “He does a number of things well but I think as far as an inside power runner, which we’ve seen him do at Ohio State, certainly that aspect is something that we’re excited about.”

Wells’ new home field will be University of Phoenix Stadium, where he rushed for 106 yards in 16 carries in Ohio State’s 24-21 loss to Texas in the Fiesta Bowl last season.

In three seasons with the Buckeyes, the 6-foot-1, 237-yard back from Akron, Ohio, rushed for 3,382 yards, averaging 5.78 yards per attempt. He gained 1,609 in 2007 and, despite missing the three games, gained 1,197 yards as a junior last season.

Wells will have to adjust from the run-oriented Ohio State style to the prolific passing game of the Cardinals. That means blocking to protect Kurt Warner and catching passes out of the backfield.

“I definitely can,” he said. ‘It just wasn’t part of our scheme at Ohio State, but that’s something I know I can do.”

Britton to Jacksonville

Former Arizona offensive tackle Eben Britton had to wait a little longer than expected to hear his name called, but the Jacksonville Jaguars put an end to that early in the second round.

Britton was taken with the 39th overall pick, and will be given an immediate chance to earn a starting spot on Jacksonville’s offensive line.

Last season, the Jaguars’ front five was a major problem, and Britton will likely see time at right tackle. The Jaguars used their first-round selection (eighth overall) to take Virginia’s Eugene Monroe.

Britton started every game in his three-year Arizona career, protecting Willie Tuitama’s blind side as the Wildcats set many offensive records under the new spread formation.

More NFL draft

Go to www.gvnews.com to read Sports Editor Nick Prevenas NFL draft live blog. Prevenas broke down most of the day one picks and trades, and will continue to update his blog throughout today’s rounds, as well.