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While the Arizona Cardinals are still technically in the playoff race, few have the expectations that they will be competing late into the season. While I think they win the next three games, that is another article for another day, they are squarely in the “Mock Draft Season” for pundits and writers outside of the fanbase.
Which means we are getting inundated with mock drafts right now, simply because somehow the Arizona Cardinals are picking in the top ten in the 2017 NFL Draft as of right now.
Matt Miller, Lead NFL Draft Writer with Bleacher Report and friend of the Draft Breakdown podcast, did a recent Mock Draft and gave the Arizona Cardinals DeShone Kizer, here is what he had to say.
The Cardinals need a youth infusion at the quarterback position, not necessarily for the 2017 season, but definitely beyond that season.
The question becomes is there an immediate impact player at nine that could fit better?
The next ten picks:
Colts - Tim Williams, Edge, Alabama
Packers – Derek Barnett, Edge, Tennessee
Saints – Carl Lawson, Edge, Auburn
Browns via Eagles – Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Chargers – Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
Titans – Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
Bills – Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan St
Eagles via Vikings – Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida St
Bucs – Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Steelers – Ryan Anderson, Edge, Alabama
The Cardinals could be in a position to draft another edge rusher depending on what they want to do with Chandler Jones in 2017 and beyond, so there are four intriguing players here.
Wilson, Tabor and Jones could potentially fit at corner, but again there was just an investment there, along with McDowell at DT. Cook is great, but that would be a poor allocation of assets, and Ramczyk plays a position that Arizona has thrown a number of assets into as well.
Kizer is someone to get Arizona Cardinals fans excited for the future, that can work his way into a strongly built offense, with a running game that can take the pressure off of him in 2018 and beyond.
Whether or not you agree with Kizer, just look at the position at this point and decide what your opinion is of the position being addressed, that is my recommendation for all mock drafts, what you’ll be seeing a lot of, from here on out.