Early Draft Cardinals 1st Round Big Board

Chopper0080

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Here are the current first round options for Arizona IMO. These will change based upon any coaching changes, scheme changes, and FA. But as of right now, this is who I feel warrants first round grades and considerations for the Cardinals.

WR - Jamar Chase - LSU
-Tremendous playmaker outside. High level competition. Can do several different things well and would make a nice complement to Hopkins.

TE - Kyle Pitts - Florida
-2nd most dominant pass catcher in college football. Huge size and speed mismatch. Dominates the middle of the field, can stretch the seam routes, and can go up and get the high thrown passes.

OL - Penei Sewell - Oregon
-Very good OT prospect with some size concerns for teams who love taller OTs. He is a monster and likely won't fall to us. If he did fall, he would be one of the few trade-up options for the Cardinals.

OL - Rashawn Slater - Northwestern
-Very nice athlete who brings toughness and power to an offensive line. Has the athletic ability and film to play OT in the NFL but being 6'4 will limit the teams interested in him there. For AZ he provides an option at C primarily, but his refined technical ability allows him to play pretty much anywhere.

OL - Wyatt Davis - Ohio St.
-Power player inside. A bit inconsistent but Davis can pass block on deep drops and can move bodies in the run game. Always hit or miss taking a G in round 1, but he is a prospect worth a 1st rounder and fills a need.

OL - Christian Darrisaw - Virginia
-Positional value pick here especially if the Cardinals are not sold on Josh Jones at OT. Nice feet, and better pass blacker than run blocker. Will need to develop physically, but it isn't the concern for him that it is for other OTs.

OL - Jalen Mayfield - Michigan
-Raw but hits all of the other traits. Physical player who is an underclassman which is why he has played RT to date. That said, he has great size and athletic ability.

EDGE - Azeez Ojulari - Georgia
-Probably a bit redundant with Reddick on the roster, but is a natural OLB who blends speed and surprising power for his size. A really nice EDGE prospect.

EDGE - Joseph Ossai - Texas
-Similar to Azeez in that he may be more of a Reddick role player than Chandler Jones, but he brings a bit more power and looks like a more dynamic Markus Golden.

EDGE - Jayson Oweh - Penn St.
-Athletic freak on the EDGE who is to EDGE players what Isaiah Simmons is to ILBs. He is a freak. He is raw. He production was limited but his traits are off the charts.

LB - Micah Parsons - Penn St.
-Very versatile off-ball LB. Probably is taken in the first 10 picks. Because he would likely be an ILB in our defense, i don't' see us moving up for him, but he is a very good player and ILB is still a position of need IMO.

LB - Zaven Collins - Tulsa
-Collins has come on very quickly but has actually been very productive and this is his 3rd year as a starter. A very large and versatile LB who could be used in a variety of ways which is similar to the appeal of Micah Parsons. Collins runs 6'4 260 but is very good in coverage and is a player who could hold up physically in the NFC West.

CB - Patrick Surtain - Alabama
-Very good CB prospect. NFL bloodlines. Fits a need. Likely gone.

CB - Caleb Farley - Virginia Tech
-More athletic than Surtain but has had some injury issues. Only 23 games but has 6 ints.

CB - Jaycee Horn - South Carolina
-Another bloodline player. Nice size and physicality. Tries to contest everything and does not back down. I don't know that he is good enough to trade up for, but he may not be around when we pick.

15 names may be a little weird for some but this is why most teams big boards are only like 150 players. These players look like scheme and roster fits at this point in time. Depth of the WR, RB and CB class will impact what type of prospect your are willing to take in round 1 at those positions. Also, our lack of draft picks will also cause Keim to tighten the 1st round grades to give more room to move back and add picks.
 

Southpaw

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I would add Jaelen Phillips The U and edge player, to that list. I have greater interest in the 2nd and 3rd rounds where I feel gems are found.
 

Russ Smith

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I would add Jaelen Phillips The U and edge player, to that list. I have greater interest in the 2nd and 3rd rounds where I feel gems are found.


I pull for him but there is also that question because of what happened at UCLA. All those injuries so quickly you can understand a kid just thinking what next. But to go from top recruit to quitting football that quickly was really unexpected. He appears to be loving life again and I really pull for kids like that, and he has off the charts physical skills. But his interviews will go a long way in determining where he goes, you can bet NFL teams are going to be wondering he quit once, will he do it again.

I hope he makes it, lots of UCLA fans were hating on the kid when he left but I think they have now realized 2 high ankle sprains and then a mangled wrist injury in a moped accident for a kid who'd never been hurt before was a big issue. And UCLA of course was falling apart at the time due to coaching issues so wasn't a huge surprise that Phillips might be looking around


Good call though if healthy and motivated he's as talented as anybody in the draft at that position IMO
 

Cbus cardsfan

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Good call on Wyatt Davis. He's going to be a good one. I'm also hesitant on taking an OG in round 1 but Kyler really struggles with pressure up the middle and Davis could help ease that even though, at this point, he's a better run blocker than in pass protection.

Another CB, his name escapes me, who is pretty good is the kid from VTech that I believe opted out for this year. VTech has a pretty good pedigree with DB's in the NFL.

OSU has a great pedigree for DB's in the NFL but Shaun Wade is not one of them. I'd take him no earlier than round 3. He's a slot CB or FS. He doesn't have the coverage skills of man to man first round CB.
 

juza76

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@Chopper0080 thank u for your posts about the 2021 prospects, always very insightful
Just don't get the sewell size concern? He is 6'5/6'6
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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@Chopper0080 thank u for your posts about the 2021 prospects, always very insightful
Just don't get the sewell size concern? He is 6'5/6'6
Ditto. I no longer watch the volume of college ball I once did so I am very appreciative of others opinions on draft eligible players now.
 
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Chopper0080

Chopper0080

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@Chopper0080 thank u for your posts about the 2021 prospects, always very insightful
Just don't get the sewell size concern? He is 6'5/6'6
NFL GMs get hung up on the 6'5 thing for left tackles. It is kinda weird. His arm length will also be under scrutiny. It is one of those things that certain front offices consider more important than others.

In fact, it was the major reason many NFL teams had Wirfs projected as an OG. Wirfs is also 6'5 and if I am being honest, Sewell is very much like a more polished Tristan Wirfs.
 
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Chopper0080

Chopper0080

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Good call on Wyatt Davis. He's going to be a good one. I'm also hesitant on taking an OG in round 1 but Kyler really struggles with pressure up the middle and Davis could help ease that even though, at this point, he's a better run blocker than in pass protection.

Another CB, his name escapes me, who is pretty good is the kid from VTech that I believe opted out for this year. VTech has a pretty good pedigree with DB's in the NFL.

OSU has a great pedigree for DB's in the NFL but Shaun Wade is not one of them. I'd take him no earlier than round 3. He's a slot CB or FS. He doesn't have the coverage skills of man to man first round CB.
I think the VTech CB is Farley and he is up there.

Wade is ok but he is a roster fit guy for me. I just don't see him making plays outside and we already have a "slot guy" in Murphy.
 
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Chopper0080

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I would add Jaelen Phillips The U and edge player, to that list. I have greater interest in the 2nd and 3rd rounds where I feel gems are found.
I like Phillips talent but the journey scares me a bit for the first round. He is in my round 2 group for sure.
 

juza76

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NFL GMs get hung up on the 6'5 thing for left tackles. It is kinda weird. His arm length will also be under scrutiny. It is one of those things that certain front offices consider more important than others.

Doesn't look like an issue arm lenght

You must be registered for see images attach
 
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Chopper0080

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For those who are interested for someone who is not highly spoken of yet, but who I like.

Tyler Linderbaum out of Iowa is pretty awesome. He is a R-Soph and hasn't declared yet but I would take him in round 2 or 3. He is 6'3 288 but he plays huge. 2nd team all american. IF he doesn't come out this year, he will be a sure-fire first rounder next year.

He is a wrestler. recruited as a DT and then moved over so you know the kind of mindset he has.
 

SissyBoyFloyd

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Sorry, but I am very leary of taking an OT with a higher R1 pick. Would like to see or look for a list of how many high drafted OTs have been a success, and a list of the current NFL starting OTs' rounds they were taken.

Appreciate this thread, never too earlier to discuss coming draft picks in my opinion. So much study involved due to number of players that it seems prudent to start early as one wants.

By the way, I would add RB: Najee Harris to the list. Has too great of a 1st name to pass on.
 
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Chopper0080

Chopper0080

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Sorry, but I am very leary of taking an OT with a higher R1 pick. Would like to see or look for a list of how many high drafted OTs have been a success, and a list of the current NFL starting OTs' rounds they were taken.

Appreciate this thread, never too earlier to discuss coming draft picks in my opinion. So much study involved due to number of players that it seems prudent to start early as one wants.

By the way, I would add RB: Najee Harris to the list. Has too great of a 1st name to pass on.
The answer to your tackle question is a lot. :)
 

SissyBoyFloyd

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Sorry, but I am very leary of taking an OT with a higher R1 pick. Would like to see or look for a list of how many high drafted OTs have been a success, and a list of the current NFL starting OTs' rounds they were taken.

To answer my own question, I did some quick googling and it appears that the pendulum swings back and forth every 5 years. Chances of success for R1 OTs uring the last 3 five year periods it has swung from good to poor to good again. If this holds, the next 5 years doesn't look good, but of course the future is not known to most of us.
 
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Chopper0080

Chopper0080

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Greg Rousseau?
Round 2 for me. And to be real, he will likely go round 1, but I needed to see a lot more from him and then he opted out. He is a traits guy like Oweh, but I feel like his drive is a little more suspect.
 
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Chopper0080

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Ok. I am feeling it. Let's go round 2.

RB - Travis Etienne - Clemson
RB - Najee Harris - Alabama
WR - Jalen Waddle - Alabama
WR - Terrance Marshall Jr. - LSU
WR - Rondale Moore - Purdue
WR - Amon-Ra St. Brown - USC
TE - Pat Freiermuth - Penn St.
C - Tyler Linderbaum - Iowa
C - Creed Humphrey - Oklahoma
C - Josh Myers - Ohio St.
G - Trey Smith - Tennessee
DL - Daviyon Nixon - Iowa
DL - Jay Tufele - USC
EDGE - Gregory Rousseau - Miami
EDGE - Jaelan Phillips - Miami
EDGE - Patrick Jones - Pitt
EDGE - Ronnie Perkins - Oklahoma
LB - Nick Bolton - Missouri
LB - Cam McGrone - Michigan
CB - Derion Kendrick - Clemson
CB - Asante Samuel Jr - Florida St
CB - Greg Newsome II - Northwestern
CB - Tyson Campbell - Georgia

That is 23 more which brings my big board to 38 total.
 

Russ Smith

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Waddle is my guy but unless we do well in FA I think our first 2 picks almost have to be on defense.

Just really want a guy who can catch the ball and take it to the house, return punts, and get deep

There's a video of him racing Ruggs, it's a bad angle but it's like 50 yards and Ruggs beats him by inches.

Really explosive, small, but explosive as all get out
 
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Cbus cardsfan

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Round 2 add Chris Olave, WR from OSU. He’s just a playmaker. He’s better than Terry McLaurin as a prospect. Not super fast so that’s why he probably won’t be a 1st rounder.
 

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The two players that have stood out to me, from those I've seen:
(1) Justyn Ross - WR Clemson
(2) Trevon Moehrig - S TCU

I'm a sucker for smooth, natural athletes.
 
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Chopper0080

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Round 2 add Chris Olave, WR from OSU. He’s just a playmaker. He’s better than Terry McLaurin as a prospect. Not super fast so that’s why he probably won’t be a 1st rounder.
Like McLaurin before the combine, I just don't have a good feel for his athletic numbers. IF he runs 4.3 like McLaurin, he will move up because the route running looks like it is solid.
 

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