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Happy Monday one and all.
We are getting close to the league year starting, and that really begins when franchise tags start getting handed down.
We also have another mock draft from Pro Football Focus, this time a two-rounder.
Let’s take a look.
16. ARIZONA CARDINALS: CB PATRICK SURTAIN II, ALABAMA
Arizona is in dire need of fresh faces in the cornerback room, and they need players who can play man coverage well at that. That’s Surtain to a T.
Despite being tasked with playing on an island more than any cornerback in the country, Surtain came in at No. 1 at his position in PFF grade this year (89.7). He allowed less than 15 yards in coverage in exactly half of his games played, and he never allowed any more than 60 in one outing. Perhaps the most underappreciated aspect of Surtain’s game this past year was his discipline, as didn’t draw a single penalty. Surtain has the size, physicality and press skills that teams covet in the NFL.
49. ARIZONA CARDINALS: T LIAM EICHENBERG, NOTRE DAME
Kyler Murray has dropped some subtle hints on Twitter that he would be in favor of the Cardinals bolstering the offensive line via the draft early in 2021. Right tackle Kelvin Beachum is set to hit the open market in March, and Arizona could try to slide 2019 third-rounder Josh Jones at guard for 2021. If that’s the case, then this pick should be dedicated to Eichenberg, who has an extremely high floor.
From a technical standpoint, Eichenberg is as polished as they come — that’s the key reason why he logged an 89.9 PFF grade in 2020. If we take out his Week 6 performance against Florida State when he played with a swollen-shut left eye, and Eichenberg is one of the few tackles to earn a grade above 87.0 as both a pass- and run-blocker. He’ll be available in Round 2 because the athleticism is nowhere near some of the other tackles in this class, but he is bound to have NFL success thanks to how advanced he is.
Getting Surtain and Eichenberg is a good draft on paper. It is a great way to get the foundation built for the Cardinals moving forward.
What would you think?