As Arizona Cardinals fans know, the team has struggled with their offensive line -- especially at the tackles. Whether it is Leonard Davis or Levi Brown, the biggest left tackles they have drafted highly have been disappointments. Oddly enough it is 2012 and offensive tackle is still one of the team's biggest needs.
Coming up is the 2012 NFL Draft, which means ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper comes out from hiding to talk prospects and projections. See his projections after the jump.
Kiper believes that the Cards will take OT Jonathan Martin Out of Stanford. Here's why:
The Cardinals need to mend the offensive line -- they haven't drafted an offensive lineman before the fifth round since 2007 -- and Martin is an athletic, powerful left tackle who can help upgrade this unit immediately. While questions remain about what the Cardinals have at the quarterback position after they committed so much both in terms of value and dollars to Kevin Kolb, there's no question they have to be better up front regardless of who takes the snaps. Again, that's a long time to go without getting some talent up front early in a draft. Martin would be a solid value here.
With other mock drafts, it appears that Martin is the early community favorite -- at least for now.
If in fact Martin falls this far and the Cardinals land him, let's hope he is not the third coming of Leonard Davis.
See Kiper's full mock draft here (but you will need ESPN Insider access to for the full round)
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