Cardinals high on rookie Hightower

Last Saturday, Cardinals running backs coach Maurice Carthon popped in Tim Hightower's workout tape from May, when NFL teams were scouting college players. Though the quarterback wasn't always on target, Hightower dropped his share of passes, and Carthon made him revisit those scenes.

"I said, 'Do you know how bad you looked in that workout?' " Carthon joked Thursday. '"We must have been crazy for drafting you.'"

"I've come a long way," Hightower said with a laugh.

Carthon saw enough potential to want Hightower in the third or fourth round of the draft, but coach Ken Whisenhunt preached patience, and by the fifth round, it was time to look for a possible heir apparent to Edgerrin James.

Through organized team activity practice sessions, minicamp, training camp and a strong preseason, Hightower ascended the Cardinals' depth chart. The team released popular veteran Marcel Shipp during camp, which essentially cemented Hightower as James' chief backup.

The tape doesn't explain why Hightower - who rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in his senior season at Richmond - wasn't one of 300 top college players invited to the NFL combine in Indianapolis. Or why he lasted until the fifth round.

Once Carthon saw him, he couldn't figure out why players equally talented (or less) were at the combine instead.

Hightower doesn't know the ins and outs either, but with each week it's mattered less and less.

"It's become a good thing," he said. "It gave me a motivation I'll always carry in my back pocket throughout my career."

Hightower had eight carries for 13 yards and a touchdown in his regular-season debut against San Francisco last week. The 1.6 yards per carry doesn't look good, but most of his chances came on short-yardage or goal-line situations.

His style may be a bit different from James. Neither has blazing speed, but coaches like the 6-foot, 225-pound Hightower's quick feet and burst through the hole.

"He's a great complement to Edge," quarterback Kurt Warner said. "Edge is one of those guys who you know he's never going to lose yards. That's what's so beautiful. There might not be anything there, but Edge always falls forward.

"Tim is one of those guys who is going to pound, too. He's not going to go backward. He will give you tough yards in key situations."

It's the smaller stuff that has the affable Hightower still finding his way in the NFL. In preseason games against New Orleans and Oakland, he missed a blocking assignment, which led to sacks. A similar play happened against the 49ers, when Hightower didn't help his tight end on a defensive end, and Warner was sacked.

"He's got to get those things," Carthon said. "Once he does, he'll be fine."

Hightower praised Carthon and James for their roles in his quick development. He never used to spend time on blocking, carrying the football, how to watch films or what he should eat.

He does now.

"He's one of those guys I dreamed of having - someone where I could have a mentor and someone to push," Hightower said of James, whose locker is kitty-corner from his. "I came in with the mindset that he's here and he's the guy, but I want to make him better and I'm going to push him. He's embraced that.

"There are little tricks of the trade and I don't have to go through all the things he did in his rookie year, second year, or even third year. It's my first year, but I feel like I've already been through some of those things purely because of him."

Among those nit-picking words of wisdom was how to carry the football. It was always an afterthought to Hightower until he met James, who's been one of the best running backs in the NFL when it comes to avoiding fumbles.

A Richmond football media analyst once nicknamed Hightower, "The Bread Truck" because the powerful back sometimes carried the ball loosely like a loaf of bread.

"That was a one-time thing," Hightower said. "We're going to leave it in college."

Five months have passed since Carthon and Hightower watched that videotape. Five months, and so much has changed.

"It was not that long ago," Hightower said, "but it feels like an eternity."

All about Tim

Height: 6-0; Weight: 224

College: Richmond

Major: Religion

College career: Broke 18 school, game, season and career rushing records. His 3,712 rushing yards are a Richmond career record, as are his 39 total touchdowns and 4,560 all-purpose yards. He amassed 106 receptions for 818 yards. He attempted one pass in his college career - a 24-yard completion that went for a touchdown.

Notable: Was a four-time honor roll student and chairman of the Spectrum Club, a diversity organization, during his final two years of high school.