One year after making 12 selections in the NFL draft — more than any other team — the
Arizona Cardinals have just five picks this year. They traded their sixth-rounder to Denver for Baron Browning at the deadline and previously sent their seventh-rounder to Carolina to acquire Robbie Anderson.
NFL mock draft 1st round, No. 16 overall: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
Perhaps the most popular name going to the
Cardinals has been Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker . That pick would certainly make plenty of sense. Walker has the ability to line up all over the defense, including as a coverage linebacker and even occasionally as a slot corner. Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis values that type of versatility. But let’s have some fun here. The Cardinals need a truly disruptive force off the edge — the type of player who can wreck game plans with his ability to get to the quarterback. Beyond Penn State’s Abdul Carter, who will almost certainly go in the top 10, Green could be the best pure pass rusher in the draft.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Green has weaknesses against the run and played his college ball against subpar competition at Marshall. Those factors might ultimately push him later in the first round or even into the second. But he’s a sack machine, having led FBS with 17 last season. That is exactly what this defense needs.
NFL mock draft 2nd round, No. 47 overall: Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State
Predicting draft picks in January requires predicting where teams will spend their resources in free agency. Given the Cardinals’ lack of top-end defensive talent, they could focus their efforts on that side of the ball when free agency opens in March. That could leave them light at guard. Envision this scenario: The Cardinals sign one veteran to a short-term deal and ask Isaiah Adams to step into a starting role in his second year. That would open an opportunity to add a guard in the draft, for short-term depth and as a long-term starter. This draft is light on interior offensive linemen but Jackson is a former five-star recruit with the ideal physical traits to excel at the next level.
NFL mock draft 3rd round, No. 78 overall: Savion Williams, WR, TCU
As his 611 receiving yards last season attest, Williams is raw as a wide receiver. But his physical talents are undeniable, with a 6-foot-5 frame and excellent speed. That would provide an element the Cardinals offense missed in 2024. This is an offense that already has a future number one receiver (Marvin Harrison Jr.), a physical threat (Michael Wilson), an elite tight end (Trey McBride) and a bruising running back (James Conner). Adding a player who can win downfield with speed would help open up the offense for those established weapons. Plus, Williams can align in the backfield, giving offensive coordinator Drew Petzing another tool in his run-heavy scheme.
NFL mock draft 4th round, No. 113 overall: Howard Cross III, DT, Notre Dame
This is the portion of the draft in which teams start taking players who stand out to them, regardless of their position. That makes it difficult to prognosticate, especially before the combine. After all, no one would have cited safety as a major need last January. A year later, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson looks like perhaps their best pick of the 2024 draft. Cross, though, is the type of player the Cardinals covet. He’s undersized but stands out with his intensity and intelligence, much like many of the players who helped this defense overperform in coach Jonathan Gannon’s second season.
NFL mock draft 5th round, No. 152 overall: Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami
Mauigoa is another player who does many of the things the Cardinals value. Like Mack Wilson Sr., he can line up as a true inside linebacker or off the edge as a pass rusher. He’s not fast enough to excel in coverage, which is why he’s expected to be a Day 3 pick, but teams aren’t drafting fifth-rounders to be immediate starters. Mauigoa is the type of player who could immediately see snaps in certain looks as Rallis builds out a versatile defense.
