It has been more than a month since Harrison Wallace III and Wydett Williams Jr. signed with the Cardinals as undrafted free agents.
All of these weeks later the Ole Miss teammates still can't believe it.
"It's crazy. Me and Wydett, we went at it every day at practice and us and (rookie offensive tackle Jayden Williams) played alongside each other so it's great having those two guys here because I've already been to war with them," Wallace said. "I know what I'm going to get out of them."
Wallace and Wydett Williams both transferred to Ole Miss last year. The wide receiver went to Penn State and the safety spent time at Delta State and Louisiana Monroe. In one year in Oxford, the duo became key contributors on a Rebels team that had made it to the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs.
At the Senior Bowl, the two were roommates. Having gone through so much together, like the Lane Kiffin debacle during the playoffs, draft preparation, and ultimately not getting drafted, it's apropos that they are going through this new journey together.
But with that comes the pressures of making the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie.
"I know the work that I put in and with the work I put in, I'm going to get something great out of it," Williams said. "I didn't go through all that I went through for nothing. I didn't come this far just to come this far, so you've got to have that mindset of being humble, and then the next day, you got to do it again."
Take a look at the Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class attending the Arizona Diamondbacks game, featuring a ceremonial first pitch by Jeremiyah Love.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
The Arizona Cardinals 2026 rookie class visits an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field on Monday, June 15, 2026 in Phoenix, AZ.
While it's tough in June to pencil in which of the seven undrafted rookies can make the active roster, the blueprint is there. Since GM Monti Ossenfort came to town, an undrafted rookie has made the initial 53-man roster in each season. In 2023 it was Emari Demercado and Starling Thomas V (the latter of whom was picked up off waivers after Detroit first signed him). In 2024 it was Xavier Weaver, and last season, it was Josh Fryar.
At his penultimate press conference before the team broke camp for the summer, coach Mike LaFleur had said he was impressed with the maturity of the team, highlighting that 77 of the 91 rostered players have spent time in the league. For Williams, he has leaned on the wisdom and teachings from Budda Baker, while Wallace has watched the way Michael Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Kendrick Bourne conduct themselves in the wide receiver room.
"All the greats from college come to the NFL, but I use them to make myself better every day because those are three great guys that have done a lot of great things," Wallace said. "I can definitely tell a difference."
There are familiar faces that the duo can turn towards for guidance. While Ohio State has the most representation with six alums on the Cardinals, Ole Miss is second with five. Three from the 2026 rookie class, last year's first-round pick Walter Nolen III, and recently acquired tight end Kenny Yeboah.
The connections between the rookie class is starting to become clear as they build those relationships. Last week, the rookies attended the Diamondbacks game. On the field, Carson Beck threw up the "U" to honor his alma mater. In the suite afterwards, Williams and Beck were bantering as they talked about Miami's win over Ole Miss at the Fiesta Bowl.
The day after the D-Backs outing, the rookies visited State Farm Stadium to get the lay of the land. It was the first time the Ole Miss players had been in the building where their season came to an end.
The thought of returning to the grass at State Farm Stadium has floated through their minds since their signings.
"After I got the call, I was by myself and started thinking 'I'm really going to AZ,' but then I was like, 'I said that before,'" Williams said. "I get a chance to play on the field where I lost, so I got to get me a 'W' the next time I go play."
