Marcell Ateman Signs With Arizona Cardinals

Former Oklahoma State standout receiver Marcell Ateman has once again found himself on an NFL team during training camp.

The Arizona Cardinals put out a release on Thursday saying they had signed Ateman because of injuries stacking at the receiver position early in camp, mainly Antoine Wesley, who’s out because of a hip and groin injury.

Ateman, who’s been with the Las Vegas Raiders the past three seasons, has played in 19 career games since being drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 season and has recorded 20 catches for 270 yards and a touchdown.

His rookie season was his best season as he hauled in 15 of his 20 career catches for 134 yards and one touchdown.

Ateman will most likely see some decent playing time early in the season, should he make the roster, not only because of injury, but because star receiver DeAndre Hopkins will miss the first six games of the season due to violating the league’s PED policy.

The receiver out of Wylie East HS in Dallas, TX had a really solid career in his time in Stillwater, especially his senior season in 2017. Ateman hauled in 59 catches for 1,156 yards and eight touchdowns that season. In fact, Ateman was a part of a historic record-setting group as Oklahoma State became the first school in Big 12 history to have a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in a single season. Of course, the quarterback was Mason Rudolph, running back was Justice Hill and the receivers were Ateman and Biletnikoff Award winner, and unanimous All-American, James Washington.

Following Ateman’s great 2017 season, he was tabbed second team All-Big 12, which was impressive enough as it is, but he did so after missing the entire 2016 season due to a foot injury.

Ateman finished his Oklahoma State career with 146 catches for 2,466 yards and 13 touchdowns. That goes to show just how impressive his 2017 campaign was.