RM's 2015: NFL Draft Primer

[RugbyMuffin]

The first wave of free agency was very interesting for 2015, and I think there were some players that got signed before the Cardinals had a chance to talk to them, that will end up working in the Cardinals favor. The Cardinals signed high potential free agents to, what I would consider, team friendly deals. Yet, what was strange is that the signings didn't really do to much to effect the draft outside of the interior offensive line. What I mean is that I think pass rusher is still a high priority, as is the cornerback position, the inside linebacker position, running back, tight end, etc., etc.

I am not saying that that Cardinals didn't fill some needs, Sean Weatherspoon is going to start at one of the inside linebacker positions, if D-Waste can redeem himself, then our inside linebacker position is stable* (can't rely on De-Waste tho). The interior offensive line situation is pretty sured up, and while I still think the Cardinals may draft an interior offensive lineman, the moves of bringing in Mike Iupati, and A.Q. Shipley has dropped the interior offensive linemen down the "BPA" ladder so to speak.

How I like to break down the Cardinals draft is to write out the current roster, and note where there is the biggest needs, because I believe "BPA" is two parts per ability and skill, and one part need. From that, I will go through the draft class and group players to the round I think they will be available. Then in my mock drafts I choose from my filtered list of Cardinal draft prospects.

Shown below are the players I feel fit the Cardinals scheme, philosophy, and need sorted by round.
*Note: My projections are based on a combination of CBS Sports, WalterFootball, NFLScout, NFL.com, and my own opinion.

1st Round - Pick #24:
- Alvin Dupree, OLB: 6'4" 269 lbs - Kentucky
- Vic Beasley, OLB: 6'3" 246 lbs - Clemson
- Dante Fowler, Jr., OLB: 6'3" 261 lbs - Florida
- Trae Waynes, CB: 6'0" 186 lbs - Michigan State
- Eric Kendricks, ILB: 6'0" 232 lbs - UCLA
- Danny Shelton, NT: 6'2" 339 lbs - Washington
- Todd Gurley, RB: 6'1" 222 lbs - Georgia
- Cameron Erving, G/C: 6'5" 313 lbs - Florida State
- Kevin Johnson, CB: 6'0" 188 lbs - Wake Forest
- Ereck Flowers, G/T: 6'6" 329 lbs - Miami
- La'el Collins, G/T: 6'4" 305 lbs - LSU

2nd Round - Pick #23:
- Nate Orchard, OLB: 6'3" 250 lbs - Utah
- Danielle Hunter, OLB: 6'5" 252 lbs - LSU
- Owa Odighizuwa, OLB: 6'3" 267 lbs - UCLA
- Eli Harold, OLB: 6'3" 247 lbs - Virginia
- Jalen Collins, CB: 6'1" 203 lbs - LSU
- Alex Carter, CB: 6'0" 196 lbs - Stanford
- P.J. Williams, CB: 6'0" 194 lbs - Florida State
- Benardrick McKinney, ILB: 6'4" 246 lbs - Mississippi State
- Jay Ajayi, RB: 6'0" 221 lbs - Boise State
- Duke Johnson, RB: 5'9" 207 lbs - Miami
- Clive Walford, TE: 6'4" 251 lbs - Miami
- Eddie Goldman, NT: 6'4" 336 lbs - Florida State
- Jordan Phillips, NT: 6'5" 329 lbs - Oklahoma
- Carl Davis, NT: 6'5" 320 lbs - Iowa
- Laken Tomlinson, G: 6'3" 323 lbs - Duke

3rd Round - Pick #22:
- Za'Darius Smith, OLB: 6'4" 274 lbs - Kentucky
- Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB: 6'4" 259 lbs - Louisville
- Eric Rowe, CB/S: 6'1" 205 lbs - Utah
- Josh Shaw, CB/S: 6'0" 201 lbs - USC
- Denzel Perryman, ILB: 5'11" 236 lbs - Miami
- Stephen Anthony, ILB: 6'3" 243 lbs - Clemson
- Paul Dawson, ILB: 6'0" 235 lbs - TCU
- Kwon Alexander, ILB: 6'1" 227 lbs - LSU
- David Cobb, RB: 5'11" 229 lbs - Minnesota
- David Johnson, RB: 6'1" 2242 lbs - Northern Iowa
- Jesse James, TE: 6'7" 261 lbs - Penn State
- Ty Montgomery, WR/PR: 6'0" 221 lbs - Stanford
- Ali Marpet, G: 6'4" 307 lbs - Hobart
- Arie Kouandijo, G: 6'5" 310 lbs - Alabama
- Josue Matias,G: 6'5" 309 lbs - Florida State

4th Round - Pick #24:
- Markus Golden, OLB: 6'2" 260lbs - Missouri
- Lynden Trail, OLB: 6'7" 269 lbs - Norfolk State
- Justin Cox, CB/S: 6'1" 191 lbs - Mississippi State
- Lorenzo Doss, CB: 5'10" 182 lbs - Tulane
- Ramik Wilson, ILB: 6'2" 237 lbs - Georgia
- Ben Heeney, ILB: 6'0" 231 lbs - Kansas
- Mike Hull, ILB: 6'0" 237 lbs - Penn State
- Mike Davis, RB: 5'9" 217 - South Carolina
- Ben Koyack, TE: 6'5" 255 lbs - Notre Dame
- MyCole Pruitt, TE: 6'2" 251 lbs - Southern Illinois
-Jamison Crowder, WR/PR: 5'8" 185 lbs - Duke
- John Miller, G: 6'2" 303lbs - Louisville
- Andy Gallick, C/G: 6'2" 306 lbs - Boston College

5th Round - Pick #23:
- Geneo Grissom, OLB: 6'2" 262lbs - Oklahoma
- Zach Hodges, OLB: 6'2" 250lbs - Harvard
- Xzavier Dickson, OLB: 6'3" 260 lbs - Alabama
- Hayes Pullard, ILB: 6'0" 240 lbs - USC
- Xiaver Williams, NT: 6'2" 325lbs - Northern Iowa
- Nick Boyle, TE: 6'4" 268 lbs - Delaware
- J.J. Nelson, WR/PR: 5'10" 156lbs - University at Buffalo
- Stefan Riggs, WR/PR: 6'0" 195 lbs - Maryland
- Max Garcia, G/C: 6'4" 309lbs - Florida
- Jeremiah Poutasi, G: 6'5" 335lbs - Utah
- Mitch Morse, G:6'5" 305 lbs - Missouri
- Robert Myers, G: 6'5" 326lbs - Tennessee State

6th Round - Pick #22:
- Craig Mager, CB: 5' 11" 201lbs - Texas State
- Taiwan Jones, ILB: 6'3" 245lbs - Michigan State
- Cedric Reed, OLB: 6' 5" 269lbs - Texas
- John Crockett, RB: 6'0" 217lbs - North Dakota State
- Gerald Christian, TE: 6'3" 244lbs - Lousville
- Ellis McCarthy, NT: 6'5" 338 lbs - UCLA
- Derrick Lott, NT: 6'4" 314lbs - Chattanooga
- Joe Mbu, NT: 6'3" 313lbs - Houston
- Shaquille Mason, G/C: 6'2" 310lbs

7th Round - Pick #24:
- Edmond Robinson, ILB/S: 6'3" 245lbs - Newberry
- Justin Coleman, CB: 5'11" 185lbs - Tennessee
- Curtis Riley, CB: 6'0" 190lbs - Fresno State
- Jake Ryan, ILB: 6'2" 240lbs - Michigan
- Reshard Cliett, ILB: 6'2" 235lbs - South Florida
- Josh Shirley, ILB: 6'3" 228lbs - UNLV
- Dominque Brown, RB: 6' 2" 234 - Louisville
- Marcus Croker, RB: 6'0" 230lbs - Stony Brook
- Kenny Hilliard, RB: 6'0" 226 lbs - LSU
- Blake Bell, TE: 6'6" 252lbs - Oklahoma
- C.J. Uzomah, TE: 6'5" 265lbs - Auburn
- Devin Mahina, TE: 6'6" 256lbs - Brigham Young
- Tyeler Davidson, NT: 6'2" 316lbs - Fresno State
- Andre DeBose, WR/PR: 6'-0" 190lbs - Florida
- Jaxon Shipley, WR/PR: 6'1" 193lbs - Texas
- Christion Jones, WR/PR: 5'10" 182lbs - Alabama
- Jake Smith, G/C: 6'3" 305lbs - Louisville
- Jarvis Harrison, G: 6'4" 330lbs - Texas A&M

I wanted to post some mock drafts with this, but to be honest, I am having a real problem evaluating how the draft can go. The Cardinals roster is in pretty good shape, and for the bigger needs, the talent level is just not there after round 2, so after round 2 I get stuck. Not to mention some players have very wide ranges of where they are projected to go, so it is tough to figure it out.

I think I will go use that cool draft simulator with this list and post those mocks to start.

PS - A trade for Adrian Peterson at any point in the draft will be a good move for the Cardinals, IMO. They are probably going to use a pick in the draft to take a running back anyway, and NO PLAYER is of Adrian Peterson's skill level in this draft.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

http://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/

This website currently has 8 different variations of Mock Drafts, and I will post all 8 shortly and update this post:

*Note: I took whatever player was available based on the simulator, so if something seems ridiculous, or unreal, go complain to the website, I just took what was presented in front of me.

Fanspeak:
1: Trae Waynes, CB - Michigan State
2: Todd Gurley, RB - Georgia
3: Stephone Anthony, ILB - Clemson
4: Lyden Trail, OLB - Norfolk State
5: Ty Montgomery, WR/PR - Stanford
6: Craig Mager, CB - Texas State
7: Gerlad Christian, TE - Louisville

DraftTV:
1: Eric Kendricks, ILB - UCLA
2: Alex Carter, CB - Stanford
3: Denielle Hunter, OLB - LSU
4: Duke Johnson, RB - Miami
5: Ty Montgomery, WR/PR - Stanford
6: Xavier Williams, NT - Nothern Iowa
7: Jake Ryan, ILB - Michigan

Composite:
1: Trae Waynes, CB - Michigan State
2: Owamagbe Odighizuma, OLB - UCLA
3: Clive Walford, TE - Miami
4: David Cobb, RB: Minnesota
5: Ben Heeney,, ILB - Kansas
6: Derrick Lott, NT - Chattanooga
7: Craig Mager, CB - Texas State

Optimum Scouting:
1: Vic Beasley, OLB - Clemson
2: Alex Carter, CB - Stanford
3: Jay Ajayi,, RB - Boise State
4: Ramik Wilson, ILB - Georgia
5: Jesse James, TE - Penn State
6: Derrick Lott, NT - Cattanooga
7: Jaxon Shipley, WR/PR - Texas

Bleacher Report:
1: Alvin Dupree, OLB - Kentucky
2: Jalen Collins, CB - Lousiana state
3: Carl Davis, NT - Iowa
4: Paul Dawson, ILB - TCU
5: Jesse James, TE - Penn State
6: J.J. Nelson, WR/PR - UAB
7: John Crockett, RB: North Dakota State

Buffalobillsdraft.com:
1: Cameron Erving, G/C - Florida State
2: Kevin Johnson, CB - Wake Forest
3: Danielle Hunter, OLB - LSU
4: Alex Carter, CB - Stanford
5: Geneo Grissom, OLB - Oklahoma
6: Nick Boyle, TE - Delaware
7: J.J. Nelson, WR/PR - UAB

Drafttek:
1: Cameron Erving, G/C - Florida State
2: Benardrick McKinney, ILB - Mississippi State
3: Jalen Collins, CB - LSU
4: Lyden Trail, OLB - Norfolk State
5: Ty Montgomery, WR/PR - Stanford
6: Eric Rowe, CB/S - Utah
7: Xzavier Dickson, OLB - Alabama

NDT Scouting:
1: Shane Ray, OLB - Missouri
2: Danny Shelton, NT - Washington
3: Maxx Williams, TE - Minnesota
4: Jalen Collins, CB - LSU
5: Kwon Alexander, ILB - LSU
6: Za'Darius Smith, OLB - Kentucky
7: Ramik Wilson, ILB - Georgia

 

[az jam]

Good list and as free agency winds down the draft becomes the focal point for filling the Cards needs for sure.

 

[cardsfanmd]

I love these threads, thanks for posting it. I'm going back to read the whole thing but, at first glance, you have multiple people as options in the 2nd and 3rd rounds that won't be available to us in the 1st and a good 1/3 of the 1st rounders listed are probably top-10 picks. I'm not sure where you're getting your player rankings but you may want to look around a bit.

If these were real and we could come away with Fowler, Goldman in the 1st and 2nd, Perryman, Anthony or Dawson in the 3rd and Mike Davis in the 4th, I'd do my best to try and survive trying to do a backflip.

 

[Chopper0080]

Give m3

1-Shaq Thompson
2-Preston Smith



and I will be good.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Give m3

1-Shaq Thompson
2-Preston Smith



and I will be good.

And trade this years third and a future conditional pick for AP.

 

[DVontel]

If I had to do it:

RD1: Desperately need a ILB that can cover, so Eric Kendricks or Shaq Thompson(love his versatility, I feel like he could be the Tyrann of our LB corp) would be fine with me.
RD2: Pass-Rusher here. Lorenzo Mauldin, has good size on him.
RD3: CB here. Kevin White out of TCU. He shut down the other Kevin White last season.
RD4: RB. Hopefully David Johnson is still here. If not, just switch him & Kevin White. I feel like he would compliment Ellington greatly.
RD5: OL here, I'm going with Max Garcia.
RD6: Another ILB here. Going with Bryce Hager
RD7: Need a KR/PR here. Christion Jones.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I love these threads, thanks for posting it. I'm going back to read the whole thing but, at first glance, you have multiple people as options in the 2nd and 3rd rounds that won't be available to us in the 1st and a good 1/3 of the 1st rounders listed are probably top-10 picks. I'm not sure where you're getting your player rankings but you may want to look around a bit.

If these were real and we could come away with Fowler, Goldman in the 1st and 2nd, Perryman, Anthony or Dawson in the 3rd and Mike Davis in the 4th, I'd do my best to try and survive trying to do a backflip.

MD, I have been doing this for a few years, and this is BY FAR the hardest draft I have every tried to get consistent rankings from.

Just look at the Mock drafts, that are off "expert" opinions, they are ALL OVER THE PLACE.

The NDT mock draft ? Ridiculous madness that would never happen.

Please tear apart my lists because it would really be a good counter to what I have presented, because I am NOT confident about my lists right now, because it seems every player has a range of 4 rounds.

I will take the Cardinals getting Jalen Collins in the 4th any day tho. LOL!

 

[cardsfanmd]

You and me both lol. I'm gonna try to put together a what a top 25 or 30 list would look like if I were SK.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

This was my FANSPEAK draft for Cards:

24: CB TRAE WAYNES MICHIGAN STATE
55: G A.J. CANN SOUTH CAROLINA
86: WR BRESHAD PERRIMAN UCF
120: RB DAVID JOHNSON NORTHERN IOWA
151: DT MARCUS HARDISON ARIZONA STATE
182: OLB JAKE RYAN MICHIGAN
216: S DAMARIOUS RANDALL ARIZONA STATE

This was my DRAFTTV draft for Cards:

24: DE SHANE RAY MISSOURI
55: RB JAY AJAYI BOISE ST
86: CB BYRON JONES UCONN
120: OT DJ HUMPHRIES FLORIDA
151: S JAMES SAMPLE LOUISVILLE
182: C GREG MANCZ TOLEDO
216: ILB JAKE RYAN MICHIGAN

This was my COMPOSITE draft for Cards:

24: DT DANNY SHELTON WASHINGTON
55: CB KEVIN JOHNSON WAKE FOREST
86: G TRE' JACKSON FLORIDA STATE
120: RB DAVID JOHNSON NORTHERN IOWA
151: ILB TAIWAN JONES MICHIGAN STATE
182: C SHAQUILLE MASON GEORGIA TECH
216: S KYSHOEN JARRETT VIRGINIA TECH

This was my Optimum Scouting draft for Cards:

24: RB MELVIN GORDON WISCONSIN
55: DE HAU'OLI KIKAHA WASHINGTON
86: CB BYRON JONES UCONN
120: OT DARYL WILLIAMS OKLAHOMA
151: OLB TAIWAN JONES MICHIGAN STATE
182: G JARVIS HARRISON TEXAS A&M
216: S DAMARIOUS RUSSELL ARIZONA STATE

This was my DRAFTEK draft for Cards:

24: OT ANDRUS PEAT STANFORD
55: G A.J. CANN SOUTH CAROLINA
86: CB JALEN COLLINS LSU
120: OLB TAIWAN JONES MICHIGAN STATE
151: RB DAVID JOHNSON NORTHERN IOWA
182: WR TRE' MCBRIDE WILLIAM & MARY
216: S DAMARIOUS RANDALL ARIZONA STATE


This was my NDT SCOUTING draft for Cards:

24: OT D.J. HUMPHRIES FLORIDA
55: G TRE' JACKSON FLORIDA STATE
86: RB MELVIN GORDON WISCONSIN
120: CB RONALD DARBY FLORIDA STATE
151: OLB SHAQ RIDDICK WEST VIRGINIA
182: S ANTHONY HARRIS VIRGINIA
216: QB BRANDON BRIDGE SOUTH ALABAMA

 

[juza76]

This was my FANSPEAK draft for Cards:

24: CB TRAE WAYNES MICHIGAN STATE
55: G A.J. CANN SOUTH CAROLINA
86: WR BRESHAD PERRIMAN UCF
120: RB DAVID JOHNSON NORTHERN IOWA
151: DT MARCUS HARDISON ARIZONA STATE
182: OLB JAKE RYAN MICHIGAN
216: S DAMARIOUS RANDALL ARIZONA STATE

This was my DRAFTTV draft for Cards:
breshard perryman is top 30pick
24: DE SHANE RAY MISSOURI
55: RB JAY AJAYI BOISE ST
86: CB BYRON JONES UCONN
120: OT DJ HUMPHRIES FLORIDA
151: S JAMES SAMPLE LOUISVILLE
182: C GREG MANCZ TOLEDO
216: ILB JAKE RYAN MICHIGAN

the second mock draft is impossibile
shane ray top 10 pick
byron jones could be a 1st or earlysecond round pick
dj humphries is a 1st rounder