Excerpts from the Athletic. I'm sure @BritCard and @Solar7 will approve!
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...dave
Round 1, No. 8 pick overall
Jedrick Wills, T, Alabama
The Cardinals filled most of their glaring defensive needs in free agency with the signings of Jordan Phillips, Devon Kennard and De’Vondre Campbell. Their quest for a No. 1 receiver was solved when they acquired DeAndre Hopkins from Houston.
Arizona doesn’t have to take an offensive lineman here. By re-signing Marcus Gilbert and bringing Justin Murray back on a tender offer, it can get by for another season. But for the Cardinals to have any success the next few years they have to protect Murray, and Wills arguably is the best right tackle in the class. NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein said Wills, “is one of the most impressive tackles in the draft; he has a basketball-caliber foot quickness and the quick hands of a boxer, and all of it is wrapped in a stout, powerful package of bad intentions. His game is tailor-made for the NFL, and his range of success is good starter to All-Pro.”
Why Wills over Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, who is rated higher in some mock drafts? Wirfs, while a better athlete, isn’t as accomplished a pass protector as Wills and could, eventually, slide to guard. Wills is a natural right tackle.
I also believe the Cardinals could trade down from No. 8. The Draft Network’s simulator has Georgia tackle Andrew Thomas lasting until the 14th pick. If Arizona doesn’t have one tackle ranked substantially higher than the other top prospects it could move down a few picks and re-acquire the second-round selection it gave up in the Hopkins deal.
Round 3, No. 72 overall
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
Round 4, No. 114 overall
Evan Weaver, LB, California
Round 4, No. 131 overall
Alton Robinson, Edge, Syracuse
Round 6, No. 202 overall
Omar Bayless, WR, Arkansas State
Round 7, No. 222 overall
A.J. Green, CB, Oklahoma State
To see the writeups for the other picks, get an Athletic subscription (highly recommended)!
...dave