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Haason Reddick and Budda Baker haven't been saviors, but there are signs of life

The fate of the Arizona Cardinals' 2017 draft class was always going to be tied closely to the level of success experienced by the two defensive prospects they selected in the top 36, Temple linebacker Haason Reddick and Washington safety Budda Baker. And while neither can be called busts this early, Cards fans might have liked to have seen more from both through 10 games.

With veteran Markus Golden hurt, Reddick, who had 9.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss as a senior with the Owls, has been on the field for nearly 50 percent of Arizona's defensive snaps. But he has often looked lost, and he has just 1.5 sacks and 25 tackles to date.

Earlier this month, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians called the 23-year-old "a work-in-progress" as a pass-rusher, per Darren Urban of the team's official website.

Baker, an explosive reigning consensus All-American, played a limited role before finally having a chance to start against the Houston Texans in Week 11. And while the sample is small, he did impress in that affair, recording 12 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and a key third-down pass breakup. In the process, he earned a near-perfect grade from Pro Football Focus.

"I thought Budda played his tail off," Arians said, per Kyle Odegard of the team's official website. "Just from the sideline, making the plays he made. He's going to be a heck of a player."

Baker will likely start the remainder of the year in place of the injured Tyvon Branch. He's coming off a breakout game, and it's worth noting that all of Reddick's sacks have come in the last three weeks. If both can maintain their current momentum, this class could be viewed as an early success regardless of what happens with the other five guys the team drafted in April.