Legacy pick: Cardinals take great-great-nephew of team's first-ever draft pick

TEMPE, Ariz. — Talk about a legacy pick.

One of the Arizona Cardinals‘ fifth-round 2023 NFL draft selections on Saturday was Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune, whose great-great-uncle was the Cardinals’ first-ever draft pick.

The then-Chicago Cardinals took Jim Lawrence fifth overall in the 1936 draft, which was also the NFL’s first draft. Lawrence played three full seasons and part of the 1939 season with the Cardinals before moving to the Green Bay Packers.

HOLD UP, @ClaytonTune7‘s great great uncle was the Cardinals first-ever draft pick in 1936. pic.twitter.com/I2jkqYFsui

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 29, 2023

Lawrence and Tune both played high school football in Texas, at Harlingen and Hebron, respectively, and stayed in state to play in college. Lawrence went to TCU and Tune went to Houston.

Lawrence died in 1990 at age 77, but 33 years later, his legacy continues with the same franchise he was drafted to but in a different state.

Tune didn’t mention his connection to the Cardinals after getting drafted Saturday but sounded elated to end up in the NFL.

“I’m just happy to go to such a great organization,” Tune said, “and be able to live out my dream.”