Cardinals rookie Korey Cunningham (left) gets advice from fellow left tackle D.J. Humphries during OTAs.

Korey Cunningham arrived at the University of Cincinnati with dreams of grandeur, imagining all the touchdowns he'd catch as a star tight end.

That vision was short-lived, as the coaching staff quickly transitioned him to the offensive line. The switch proved fortuitous, as Cunningham started for two seasons at offensive tackle and was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round last month.

To get to that point, though, Cunningham had to make gains – and that wasn't limited to his growth on the football field.

"If I woke up in the middle of the night, I'd have a refrigerator right beside my bed and I'd drink a protein shake," he said.

Cunningham weighed just north of 200 pounds early in his college career, about 100 less than the standard 6-foot-6 offensive lineman. So he practically lived in the weight room during those formative years, and when he wasn't lifting, Cunningham was scarfing down copious amounts of calories.

The biggest beneficiary was the Chipotle near campus, which Cunningham would often frequent twice a day. His standard order: a burrito bowl with white rice, brown rice, black beans, fajitas, steak, chicken, corn, sour cream, lettuce, cheese and guacamole.

"When they tried to put the lid on it," Cunningham said, "that was always the funniest part. People would come take pictures all the time."

Cunningham is up to 313 pounds as he begins his Cardinals career, blending in seamlessly with the fellow behemoths that make up an NFL offensive line room. Now that he's on level ground physically, Cunningham's success will ultimately be dependent on his ability to turn impressive athleticism into refined technique.

As a late-round pick, Cunningham's roster spot is not guaranteed, but General Manager Steve Keim is intrigued with his measurables.

"I'm not sure I've seen many guys test like this," Keim said on the final day of the draft. "He ran 4.90 (40-yard dash), jumped 36 inches at that size, which again, is off the charts. I haven't seen many guys, particularly offensive tackles, vertical jump 36 inches. He's a former basketball player, and we think he has loads of upside."

Starting left tackle D.J. Humphries was a more highly-regarded prospect when he was drafted by the Cardinals in 2015, but still feels connected to Cunningham's plight. Humphries didn't play as a rookie because he was learning the finer points of the game.

"It's exciting to see guys that want to do it, and they just don't really know how to do it, because it reminds me of myself," Humphries said. "I didn't know anything, and I was lucky to be around guys like Bobby Massie and Jared Veldheer and A.Q. Shipley – guys that saw me really trying to figure it out, and I really couldn't grasp it. They were there to help me, so I'm excited to help that dude, because he's got a lot of skills."

While Cunningham isn't yet a finished product, his game noticeably improved as a senior. He didn't allow a sack all season.

"I remember my junior year going into games, I'd be freaking out a little bit," Cunningham said. "My senior year, I was relaxed. I loved playing ball."

Cunningham feels good at his current weight, happy to maintain rather than slam protein shakes at all hours. He also feels good about the trajectory of his career.

He was a three-sport standout growing up in Montevallo, Alabama and thought he'd stick at tight end in college. One hundred pounds later, he's a lineman at the highest level.

"I dreamed of my first college touchdown, all of that, as a 200-pound tight end," Cunningham said. "Now I'm pass-protecting, I've got my hand in the dirt, blocking. I love it."