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Todd McShay has a new mock draft through ESPN Insider and in it, he doesn’t have the Arizona Cardinals taking a quarterback.
In fact, within the mock draft, he only has one quarterback going in the first round, with the 30th overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs taking Mitch Trubisky.
No, in this mock draft, he has the Arizona Cardinals taking a defender, a potential force within the middle of the Arizona Cardinals defense for years to come, in Alabama Crimson Tide inside linebacker Reuben Foster.
From McShay:
I think this would be a great pick for several reasons:
First, Foster is a great college linebacker, he is better than last years version Reggie Ragland and has the ability to be a true, three down linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals.
Second, it allows the Arizona Cardinals flexibility inside. Do they want to re-sign Kevin Minter and pair the two young thumpers inside? Perfect, do it. Want to keep Bucannon inside? Perfect, now you have Bucannon and a more athletic version of Minter to pair with him, a player closer to Karlos Dansby, on the inside.
If the Cardinals wanted to take a Foster and re-sign Minter, then all of a sudden they have an answer at their strong safety spot as well, if they want to have Bucannon lose the weight they asked him to gain and move him back there.
It is a pick that gives the Arizona Cardinals not only a potentially great player, but it gives them a lot of flexibility around what they want to do.
That is what they need this draft, a day one impact player, who can give the Cardinals, James Bettcher and the defense options.
Top ten in the draft:
Browns: Jonathan Allen, DE Alabama
49ers: Myles Garrett, OLB Texas A&M
Jaguars: Jamal Adams, S LSU
Bears: Jabrill Peppers, S Michigan
Titans: Marshon Lattimore, CB Ohio St
Jets: Tim Williams, OLB Alabama
Panthers: Leonard Fournette, RB LSU
Saints: Marlon Humphrey, CB Alabama
Browns: Takkarist McKinley, OLB UCLA
Chargers: Mike Williams, WR Clemson
Anyone from that group you’d want? Anyone not in the top 11 that interest you?