The Cardinals selected Pappoe in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 168th overall.
Pappoe was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and started every game he was healthy for across his four-year tenure at Auburn. The linebacker ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine among interior linebackers (4.39) and also benched an impressive 29 reps, an absurd combo of speed and strength that did translate onto the tape. That athletic combo too often worked against Pappoe however, as he'd over-pursue or simply attack the wrong hole far too frequently. At the very least, Pappoe could make an excellent special-teams player, but he could push for more playing time in a linebacking core that boasts an absurd amount of athleticism already.