Now that the NFL combine is complete, teams will either start or tweak their draft board in preparation for the NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals are a curious team heading into the draft. Last year, they drafted who they thought would be their franchise quarterback in Josh Rosen; now, they are shopping him.
If they feel a quarterback in this draft is a better player than Rosen, they should pull the trigger. Quarterback is arguably the most important position on the field.
This mock draft used a system on thedraftnetwork.com.
No. 1: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And all we heard coming out of the combine is Murray at number one. The Cardinals selected Josh Rosen in the first round last year but if they feel they can’t win with him, they need to make the move.
Murray set college football on fire last season with his dynamic play. He has shown the ability to make plays inside and outside the pocket, showing good touch on his passes.
No. 33: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
With the selection of Murray at No. 1, it only makes sense to build around him. Brown was a proven target for Murray in the high-flying Sooners offense. The Cardinals need to think about replacing Larry Fitzgerald as this may be his last season.
Brown is a speedster who has the ability to play either outside or in the slot. He has the ability to make contested catches over the middle and is really good at tracking the ball while it’s in the air.
No. 65: Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington
While the quarterback play last season for the Cardinals was bad, the offensive line play was worse. The line was unable to get the run game going, even with one of the better backfields in the league.
McGary was a solid starter on the line for Washington the past two seasons. McGary has the size NFL team like at the tackle position. He is a solid pass- and run-blocker, but could still benefit from improving his technique.
No. 103: Daylon Mack, DT, Texas A&M
Beside Chandler Jones, the Cardinals had no real pass rush last season. The team needs improvement in stopping the run with the teams in their division.
Mack had a solid career with the Aggies but showed he has an extra gear in the bowl games. He was unblockable in the East/West game so was called up to the Senior Bowl, making noise all week during practice.
No. 139: Germaine Pratt, LB, NC State
At this point in the draft, teams are looking to find players they can develop or folks who can contribute on special teams. The Cardinals need to improve overall depth throughout their lineup so they will draft the best player available.
Pratt was a solid contributor to the Wolfpacks’ defense the past two seasons. In his senior season, he took on more of a leadership role and defensive responsibilities. He also showed that he has the ability to come off the edge and produce sacks.
No. 174: Foster Moreau, TE, LSU
The Cardinals have been a revolving door at the tight end position. Every year, they bring in a player who gets hyped up but is unable to perform. They could benefit from a player who is a reliable catcher and a good blocker.
Moreau could be more of a mystery this draft with the way he was used at LSU. They are a run-heavy team, and he is an excellent run blocker. But the quarterback play has been lackluster his whole career. Moreau showed out well during the bowl practice week.
No. 179: Nate Herbig, OG, Stanford
You draft a quarterback, you need to build up depth in the offensive line. Arizona started that with the McGary pick in the third round. They will also address this in free agency.
Herbig is a player who could have benefited from going back to school for his senior season, but he made the decision to leave school and enter the draft. He is more of a developmental player that has shown glimpses of what he can be under the right coaching staff.
No. 207: Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
Love would be a higher pick, but he suffered an injury at the end of the season. He has shown the ability to be a top three back in the draft two years ago but was a little disappointing this past season. Love would be an upgrade to the running back position behind David Johnson.
No. 248: Jordan Brailford, DE, Oklahoma State
Brailford increased his production throughout his college career and showed that he can be a consistent pass rusher and maintain the edge. He ended this past season with 10 sacks and 40 tackles. He was a bright spot in the Senior Bowl and was almost unblockable in pass situations.
No. 249: Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor
Hurd is a former running back who transitioned to the wide receiver position. He has displayed good hands and, when he gets the ball, he runs like a running back. He will need to develop his route-running and zone awareness but has tremendous upside.
No. 254: Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU
Takitaki has experience playing in 4-3 and 3-4 defenses during his career at BYU. When moving to linebacker, he has shown the ability to read run or pass plays and has become a tackling machine in his senior season.
