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The Free Agency frenzy has passed. All the players that remain are either injury prone talent, or guys who will be limited to backup roles. Teams are now focused on building their draft boards for April 26th, the first day of the NFL Draft.
I have been compared to some of the greatest Draft minds in the NFL. Mike Mayock, Bill Belichick, Seth Cox, and even the great Blake Murphy.
Okay maybe not, but I needed something to reel you in. I enjoy reading Mock Draft’s around the internet, and usually wait until the month of April to begin taking part in all of it. By that time, names can begin to fall into a draft range. For example, no one believes that Sam Darnold will fall to 15 anymore. A month ago, some people could see that scenario.
I will be using Fanspeak’s “On the Clock Premium” for this mock. I’ve selected Matt Miller’s draft board to run it, and told the computer to run multiple boards, not one specific one. I chose the difficult setting, and NFL Mock team needs.
So without further ado... Let’s Mock!
TRADE
Bengals offer their first (#21) and second (#46) for Pick 15. Cardinals Decline.
The Patriots want to move up to #15 overall, offering the Cardinals their recently acquired Pick 23 (From LAR) and Pick 31. Cardinals accept.
Round 1, Pick 23:
The Cardinals now sit in a perfect position to grab Lamar Jackson who is still on the board. But there too are two of the better interior lineman in the draft. Billy Price and James Daniels, the consensus one and two rated Guards from this draft. Also on the board is Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and Edge Rusher Marcus Davenport.
The Cardinals select: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
They satisfy the position that has plagued this franchise for years. Jackson has the opportunity to sit for a little and learn behind Sam Bradford, but should stay prepared as he might be needed.
TRADE
The New York Giants offer their 3rd (#5), 4th (#8), and 5th (#2) and a 2019 2nd round pick for the 31st selection. The Cardinals accept.
TRADE
The Arizona Cardinals offer their 2nd (#15), and two 3rd’s (#15!) for the Indianapolis Colts 2nd (#5). The Colts accept.
Round 2, Pick 5:
I won’t beat around the bush this time. I traded up for a specific player he was still on the board.
Isaiah Oliver, DB, Colorado
He fits as an immediate plug and play opposite of Patrick Peterson. He fits a position that the Cardinals have signed stop gap players for years, and now the Cardinals can focus their attention elsewhere.
Round 3, Pick 5:
I was one pick away from going back to back PAC-12 secondary players. But Justin Reid was taken by the Houston Texans just one pick before the Cardinals, leaving me to address the offensive line.
Orlando Brown, Tackle, Oklahoma
After a bad combine, and a Pro Day that didn’t see him make up any ground, Brown falls to the third round. But his fall stops when the Cardinals select him to play along the right side. With an older Andre Smith slated to play there, it would give Brown time to transition from the left to the right side in the pros.
Round 4, Pick 8:
The Cardinals have signed a receiver by the name of Brice Butler to compete and push Chad Williams. But competition makes everyone better, so the Cardinals will add another name to the mix. Potentially two, if another receiver I like falls.
Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame
He has checked every box during the draft process, and in he 4th round, could develop into a steal.
Round 4, Pick 34:
The receiver I like is still on the board, but with two top 20 5th round picks, I like my chances. However, there is one player than some believe is a day selection that sits on my board.
Kemoko Turay, LB, Louisville
He is listed as an edge rusher, which the Cardinals currently have two of the better ones in the NFL. But with the team making the move to a 4-3 base scheme, it wouldn’t hurt to add another. Turay still has some growing to do as a player, but he has the upside to become a NFL starter.
Round 5, Pick 2:
A safety out of San Diego state peaks my interest here. A former wide receiver converted to Safety, Kameron Kelly was a strong consideration. However, I still needed to find myself a guard to eventually replace Mike Iupati.
I found that guy in the form of:
Wyatt Teller, Guard, Virginia Tech
Teller was voted first-team-all-conference in the ACC for his work in the 2017 season. There are some questions about his consistency, as he progressively got worse as the season wore on, and was significantly less involved than his 2016 season. Teller has the potential to become a NFL starter, and a year behind Iupati could do just that.
Round 5, Pick 15:
The Cardinals have gone heavy on the offensive side of the ball this draft. Only one defensive selection so far, with the Cardinals trading up to get Oliver in the second round. They select another defensive piece here in the fifth.
Nathan Shepherd, DL, Fort Hayes State
Shepherd broke his hand at the Senior Bowl causing what could have been a breakout name, to slink back into the later rounds. He is a talented player with upside, and definitely worth a late round flyer.
Round 6, Pick 8
The Cardinals are going to draft another big bodied wide receiver. I’ve been holding my breath, especially after a long run of receivers towards the end of the fifth. Similar to St. Brown, he’s a guy who should have a better Pro career than his college career.
Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State
Scott stands at 6’6 which is rare for a wide receiver. He’s an interesting prospect because of his size and pass catching abilities, but speed and quickness will leave some questions.
Round 7, Pick 36
I know I wanted to go with an offensive heavy draft. After all, that’s where most of this teams issues and questions come into factor. With the Cardinals final selection however, I wanted to take a BPA. No needs to address, just a guy who will give the team an added element. Well I found him.
Phillip Lindsay, RB, Colorado
Lindsay is undersized at 5’8, but can do it all. He’s a powerful runner, special teams weapon, and can catch out of the backfield. Coupling him with David Johnson, who shares similar skill sets, can be a dangerous pairing.
That wraps it up. To recap we traded a few times, and accumulated some good picks. The Cardinals have an extra second round pick in 2019, and got some talented names. It was an offensive heavy draft, but something the team needed.
What do you say? Stick to my day (night) job? Discuss in the comments below.
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