The 2012 NFL Draft is still over three months away, but mock draft projections already are making big changes from week to week. It is well known that the Cardinals need help at offensive tackle, as Levi Brown has underwhelmed for several seasons and only has Jeremy Bridges under contract at the position with any game experience other Brown, who will be cut at some point unless his contract is restructured. As a result, most fans and media believe that it will be a focus in the draft, or at least that it should be. However, in the first round, the best prospects may well be gone.
In our ROTB projections, Stanford's Jonathan Martin, OL, will be the selection. However, according to other mock drafts, Martin is either off the board or not on Arizona's radar.
SB Nation's projections stay consistent with a week ago, in that Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly will be the Cardinals' pick. The reason?
Arizona has bits and pieces here and there on their defensive roster. What they lack is a linchpin inside linebacker. Stewart Bradley was not that guy; Kuechly is. In a year or two, he could rival Patrick Willis and James Laurinaitis for the best inside linebacker in the NFC West.
That would be something -- rivaling Willis? Strong words.
In that mock, Martin falls all the way to the Detroit Lions.
In the two mock drafts for CBS Sports, the Cardinals don't get a chance to look at Martin, and they pass of Kuechly.
In one projection, they take Baylor wideout Kendall Wright. In the other, they select South Carolina OLB Melvin Ingram.
Obviously each of these projections would fill a need on the team. If given a choice between the four, which player would be the best fit and make the biggest impact now and in the future?
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