NFL Mock Draft 2012: Help At Linebacker For Arizona Cardinals?

by Jess Root on Jan 10, 2012 7:02 AM MST in NFL Draft/Combine

With the Arizona Cardinals in full offseason mode, we have turned our attention in part (at least when there isn't news or speculation about Peyton Manning or Todd Haley) to the 2012 NFL Draft. SB Nation has published its most recent mock draft and they have Arizona getting some help a linebacker, a position that is a need but perhaps not the biggest one.

Rather than look at an offensive tackle, a pass rusher or even a wide receiver, it could be an inside linebacker.

These projections have Arizona selecting Boston College inside linebacker Luke Kuelchy with the 13th overall pick.

Why do they project him?

Ray Horton's defense played over their heads this year. Drafting Kuelchy gives them a crucial pivot in the middle of their defense, making life harder for Marshawn Lynch when they see him twice a year. The BC standout won a bucket of awards, including the Butkus Award for the top college linebacker, thanks in part of a gaudy average of almost 16 tackles per game.

If this were the way the Cards were looking, it might spell the end of Stew Bradley unless they move him ove to the outside. Kuelchy would indeed make a nice partner in crime for Daryl Washington. It would make a nice linebacking corp.

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Comments

I would be ok with this,

but would prefer keeping the guy who is already here around.

Formerly known as Cardsfan928, If you wanna grab a quick game of madden, my screenname is also my Xbox name.

by INSOMAN1ATIC on Jan 10, 2012 7:39 AM MST reply actions

Man love the idea of a monster in the middle. If we can not get a top tier OL we have ti go with BPA at M linebacker Outside Linebacker maybe corner. Free agency has some recievers we can get and maybe lucky to find decent lineman as I understand next year will have an abundant cast of line man to choose from

by naironpalm3 on Jan 10, 2012 7:43 AM MST reply actions

I too wouldn't mind Kuechly next to DWash in the middle

But I think Upshaw (supposedly the best 34OLB in this years draft) would be a good fit, assuming none of the top 3 OT’s (Kalil, Martin, Reiff) are already off the board at 13. The other possibility for me here is G DeCastro.

Faith Focus Finish

by b0rd3rline on Jan 10, 2012 8:33 AM MST via mobile up reply actions

Manti Te'o | 6'2, 245 pounds | MLB | Notre Dame

If we do go the MLB round I say go for the man with more experiance. Kuelchy, in my opinion is not the #1 MLB this year.

by Reo Hays on Jan 15, 2012 7:16 PM MST up reply actions

Manti Teo is going back to school

by cgcardzfan on Jan 15, 2012 10:31 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

Kuechly is a good fit

Putting him next to DWash would be killer, especially if we can grab another 3-4 OLB in the later rounds. The foundation would be in place as we have filled the most important position in a 3-4 defense, the LBs, with talented young players who will develop together. Then all we have to do is let them develop and keep restocking the shelf when they start to get older/go to free agency

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by GreaZzy on Jan 10, 2012 8:38 AM MST reply actions

Get an MLB

If we are gonna get a MLB, I’d rather a guy like Vontaze Burfict. Sure he has work to do in adjusting to a 3-4 defense, but it would generate more buzz and ticket sales by drafting an ASU player and he has more upside than most LB’s in the draft because he hasnt played to his full potential.

by adhorne on Jan 10, 2012 8:41 AM MST reply actions

burfict maybe a good idea but hear he takes some plays off. as a team mate he is rumored not to be well liked by others some what is a head case

by naironpalm3 on Jan 10, 2012 9:52 AM MST up reply actions

He will still be around in the 4th or 5th

by tallfreak on Jan 10, 2012 10:49 AM MST up reply actions

just read after playing poorly no effort he was benched then refused to go back in when requested to much problmes

by naironpalm3 on Jan 11, 2012 10:30 AM MST up reply actions

No he won't. He'll be gone by the early second round at the latest.

"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."

by Riddlah. on Jan 11, 2012 2:21 PM MST up reply actions

I have a friend who walked on at ASU

And he says that Burfict is just an absolute head case. He just doesn’t think on the field and has no discipline, and really no work ethic. I don’t want a guy like that anywhere near the locker room.

by Handsome Bert on Jan 11, 2012 7:41 PM MST up reply actions

Frustrating ...

Stewart Bradley was supposed to be that guy. I wonder if the Cardinals have really given up on him. If so, it’s a really unfortunate swing and a miss. It’s inevitable sometimes, but it’s always hard to see the team waste money and/or draft picks on guys that won’t work out, when said money/draft picks could be used to address other pressing needs. (Wide receiver! Offensive tackle! And maybe even that elite pass rusher we’ve always wanted!)

by Vaegrin on Jan 10, 2012 8:46 AM MST reply actions

Yeah..

The Cody Brown loss still hurts a little..

by Red4life on Jan 10, 2012 10:00 AM MST up reply actions

Doubt Cards have given up on Bradley

he’s got a lot of talent, upside and is young. Big change coming from 4-3 to 3-4 plus Horton’s complex defense. I think they expect big improvement with full off season OTA’s and training camp. We’ll just have to wait and see.

by Birdman2 on Jan 10, 2012 10:21 AM MST up reply actions

Yeah, I'm still optimistic.

We’ll see what the Cardinals do in the draft. Hopefully the Cardinals are confident enough in Bradley’s future to focus on other needs during the draft, and we’ll see Bradley start contributing next year. But if the Cardinals draft an inside linebacker, it’s probably the end for him.

by Vaegrin on Jan 10, 2012 10:36 AM MST up reply actions

Only if the 3 top OT's are off the board

I think we have to take an OT if one of the top 3 are still there. It is by far our biggest need.

That being said, I love Kuechly. I’m completely biased because I just graduated from BC. But after watching every single one of his games, I can legitimately say the kid is a BEAST. He’s not the most athletic linebacker ever, but he plays incredibly smart. He is always in the right place on every play, and seems to be involved in nearly every tackle. He is also a stand-up character guy. He won the award for highest GPA among all student athletes in his year at BC in both his freshman and sophomore year. And he is a science/ premed major. That’s suer impressive.

by Phil7178 on Jan 10, 2012 8:52 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

Hi All, great news about the Kuechly pick

I just got off the phone with Frank Gore, Stephen Jackson, and Marshawn Lynch. They are all excited about the Cards drafting this guy and sticking his 237# frame next to our other 234# inside linebacker. They can wait to run up the gut against a lightweight corps.

All sarcasm aside, not knocking Kuechly’s talent, but we already have that guy in D-Wash. The other MLB needs to be a thumper to stop the big backs from eating up 5, 6 , 7 + yards a carry.

Just a guy, because I was born that way.

by cdeveau on Jan 10, 2012 10:07 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

I completely agree they're the same type of backer. I haven't seen any mock that I agree with yet.

I don’t like DeCastro, Reiff, Martin or Kuechly at this pick. I’d like to see Floyd fall to 13 or maybe Perry or Hightower but I’m not completely sold on him yet. I would like to see the Cards trade back into the late teens early twenties and snag Adams from OSU and pick up a 2nd round pick.

"The point is, by my standards, I won fair and square."
-Bender

by az78true on Jan 10, 2012 10:27 AM MST up reply actions

I'd prefer Upshaw

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Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Rattlers fan
[I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].

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by JoeCB1991 on Jan 10, 2012 11:35 AM MST reply actions

Just draft 6 OL's and an RB.

by Winter Trabex on Jan 10, 2012 12:13 PM MST reply actions

don't forget that ryan williams will be back next year.

by Gildo on Jan 10, 2012 4:59 PM MST up reply actions

Ive been saying we should draft him

He’s my first choice. Kuechly is beast, he has the motor and skills to make an elite ILB. He needs to put on about 12lbs to play next to DWash n Lott could do that easy. My second choice is Upshaw, third is Burfict, 4th is Martin. As you can see I would rather draft LB this season because I think these guys will be elite.

by cgcardzfan on Jan 10, 2012 7:29 PM MST via mobile reply actions

I'm always a huge fan of LB play

the group of LBs going in the first and second round all seem like solid picks. Every single one of them, besides Burfict, appears to be a lock for a good player, with great potential. Burfict could be elite, but has much more risk surrounding him

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by GreaZzy on Jan 10, 2012 10:00 PM MST up reply actions

Hypothetical

Lets say the top 3 OT’s and we miss out on Upshaw and Vontaze.. what then?

by Red4life on Jan 11, 2012 1:53 AM MST reply actions

We cry?

There are a couple other DE/OLB’s rated in that area, but I don’t think we’ll really see those prospects shake out until we through the Senior Bowl and combine. There’s an OG (DeCastro) that might work there, although I’d kind of rather not go that way, personally. Wide receiver is definitely an option and, hey, maybe one of those QB’s will jump out at us ;)

by tw3kr on Jan 11, 2012 2:09 PM MST up reply actions

Cardinals should go ILB with their first pick

Let’s face it, we need either at CB or a ILB, and by the looks of this draft it seems that Morris Claibourne and Dre Kirkpatrick will be off the board by the time we get them. That’s why the Cardinals should go ILB. Paris Lenon will be 34 years old, and we need someone to fill in that position. I was actually hoping the Cardinals might consider Dont’a Hightower because 1) he was coached in probably one of the best defenses in collage football, and 2) he is the biggest LB in this year’s draft 6’4 260. Scouting reports say he has good speed to keep up with rushers, and he makes solid tackles. I think he would thrive in Horton’s 34 defense, if not the second guy on my list is LB Emmanuel Acho, Sam Acho’s brother, I think the Acho combination would be formitable in Arizona’s zone blitzing defense. Kuechly is good, but I think there are better prospects at his position.

Keep it real!!

by AZ Fan #1 on Jan 11, 2012 2:12 AM MST reply actions

Coming from a Big 12 school

Emmanuel Acho is solid, but I don’t see him coming off the board before the 2nd round. Sam Acho was much better during his time in Texas. That’s not to say I wouldn’t want us to draft him, but I would rather us pick Kuelchy if we have the chance.

by Handsome Bert on Jan 11, 2012 7:37 PM MST up reply actions

Yea i wouldnt mind the other acho either

But he’s a little undersized or at least looks small on tv and I’ve heard he is a 4th-5th rd guy… Is still like him here tho. Kuechly is a machine… He had over 130 tackles in each of his 3 seasons at BC and each year got better. He is the best ILB in the country maybe besides teo

by cgcardzfan on Jan 15, 2012 10:38 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

wait a minute for me if Kuechly is available the winner of the Butkas award ( Von miller won it last year) leader in tackles this year may not be up for the job. Remember Acho is very bright helping him in Hortons defense, which is what they say about this kid. With the off seaon with Lott sure he can put on some pounds but quickness and smarts diagnosing the plan early helps. Sure if Ol Upshaw available toss up probaly he gets call cause he is all over the field, but looking like we not gonna get help on OL this year in draft.

by naironpalm3 on Jan 11, 2012 12:57 PM MST reply actions

He wont be there.

How many times has the Butkus Award winner dropped to 13? We can upgrade every possition on our team with the exception of a #1 WR, but if there is a Tackle still on the board, we need to take a hard look. We have so many holes, that takeing the top player on the board is the best pick.

by Reo Hays on Jan 15, 2012 6:41 PM MST reply actions