B+
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals won the weekend at the trade table. Grade: B+.
by Stan93 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 108 picks
· 22 steals
· 72 reaches
If confidence were a draft strategy, the Cardinals would have aced it. Decamerion Richardson at slot 74 is 100 spots clear of where he belonged. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B+.
Getting Holker where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. They robbed the room blind at the table, and it lifts the grade on its own.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 1 they get a matchup weapon at tight end. A real need, handled.
Laiatu Latu at pick 3 is a conviction pick that outran the value. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
In the 17th pick they get a blindside protector at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In slot 18 they get a press-man option on the boundary. Need was not the driver here.
In No. 20 they get a disruptive interior force, though the board says they badly overpaid. A clean fit for the roster.
In the 21st overall pick they get the heartbeat of the defense, a steep price for the projection. A real need, handled.
In pick No. 22 they get a lockdown presence outside, though the board says they badly overpaid. More want than need.
In Round 1, Pick 23 they get an enforcer at safety, though the board says they badly overpaid. More want than need.
In No. 24 they get a seam-stretching tight end, a steep price for the projection.
In pick 25 they get a difference-maker at receiver, though the board says they badly overpaid. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Malachi Corley at the Round 1 slot is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
In the 27th overall pick they get a matchup problem out wide, though the board says they badly overpaid. The biggest hole, addressed.
They paid up for Roman Wilson at slot 29 when waiting would have done the job. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
In the 30th pick they get a centerpiece for the ground game, though the board says they badly overpaid. A real need, handled.
In Round 1, Pick 32 they get a run-stuffing presence up front, though the board says they badly overpaid. A clean fit for the roster.
A wild overpay on Marshawn Kneeland in pick 33, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Maason Smith at the 34th pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A quiet steal in slot 35: Chop Robinson for less than the market said. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Chris Braswell in the 36th overall pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A big swing on Mohamed Kamara at pick No. 37, well ahead of any board in the building. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Value said wait; Roger Rosengarten in the Round 2 slot says they were not listening. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They jumped the gun on Xavier Worthy, taking him earlier than his grade liked. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Xavier Legette in the 40th overall pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
MarShawn Lloyd in pick 42 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A need, and now a little less of one.
A top-tier quarterback at a bargain, J.J. McCarthy in the Round 2 slot, plain and simple. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A premium they did not need to pay, Ruke Orhorhoro a notch or two before his time. The roster fit checks out.
They talked themselves into Cole Bishop at slot 51, and the board did not agree. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
They barely believed it either: Cooper DeJean still on the board at the 52nd pick. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
Circle this one: Nate Wiggins at pick No. 53 is a fall that decides a draft. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
They went early on Ja'Lynn Polk in Round 2, Pick 23, and the value did not follow. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Javon Baker at the 60th pick jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Michael Hall Jr. at pick No. 62 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Adisa Isaac at the Round 3 slot is money in the bank, a edge rusher taken below his worth. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
By-the-book stuff, Austin Booker at pick 67 squarely in line with his ranking. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
They reached into another round for DeWayne Carter, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A reach on Brandon Dorlus in the 70th overall pick; the board had better options right there. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
The board had cheaper options than Bralen Trice at No. 71, and it noticed. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They liked Malik Washington enough to skip the value, taking him in Round 3, Pick 8. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Decamerion Richardson well ahead of where he belonged. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr. at the Round 3 slot is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Malik Mustapha in the 78th overall pick, miles early. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
No drama and no debate, Jonah Elliss went about where he belonged in pick 80. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Javon Solomon at the 86th pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. A pick in search of a role on this roster.
A real head-scratcher, Gabriel Murphy in pick No. 87 is miles ahead of his ranking. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They robbed the room for Cooper Beebe here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Good price on Dominick Puni in slot 93, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They paid a round early for Zak Zinter in the Round 3 slot, more than the board wanted. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Tommy Eichenberg this early at pick 97. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Mekhi Wingo at the 99th overall pick is right where the board had him, plain and simple. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Brennan Jackson. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Jacob Cowing in Round 4, Pick 3 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A reach for Braelon Allen in pick No. 104; a little patience would have been rewarded. It fills a real need, too.
They reached a country mile for Jordan Travis at the 105th pick, and the board is aghast. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Value said wait; Jalyx Hunt in slot 107 says they were not listening. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Leonard Taylor III in No. 110 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They talked themselves into Tyler Davis at pick No. 113, and the board did not agree. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
The board fumbled Kris Abrams-Draine all the way to pick 114, and they scooped it up. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
A wild overpay on Ty'Ron Hopper in slot 115, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Cody Schrader this early at the 116th overall pick. The roster fit checks out.
A big swing on Myles Cole at Round 4, Pick 17, well ahead of any board in the building. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A cornerback of that caliber at the Round 4 slot is the definition of value, full stop. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
Kamren Kinchens at the 122nd pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Cam Hart in Round 4, Pick 23. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Cedric Gray at the 130th pick. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Jarrian Jones at pick 131 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
They let Brenden Rice come to them and pounced at No. 134. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Javon Foster at slot 137 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. at the Round 5 slot is the proof. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Erick All is a better player than pick No. 139 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Jamari Thrash in the 140th overall pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Nice patience on Isaac Guerendo, who had no business lasting to pick 146. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A tidy bit of business in the 149th pick, where Nehemiah Pritchett graded well above the range. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Nothing to complain about; Anthony Gould went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Tahj Washington in pick No. 152 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They reached into another round for Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They paid sticker price for McKinnley Jackson in No. 158, and that is fine. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A conviction pick on Jordan Jefferson at the Round 5 slot that the board grades a round light. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Gabe Hall well ahead of where he belonged. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Khristian Boyd in No. 164, miles early. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Cedric Johnson at the Round 5 slot is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Nathaniel Watson at the 166th overall pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Jaden Crumedy at Round 6, Pick 3 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It fills a real need, too.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Edefuan Ulofoshio. A need, and now a little less of one.
Value with a capital V on James Williams in pick No. 181, a genuine coup. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A real head-scratcher, JD Bertrand in the 182nd pick is miles ahead of his ranking. It fills a real need, too.
They jumped the gun on Justin Eboigbe, taking him earlier than his grade liked. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They reached a country mile for Zion Tupuola-Fetui at Round 6, Pick 9, and the board is aghast. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They went early on Grayson Murphy in the 185th pick, and the value did not follow. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Eric Watts at the Round 6 slot is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
No edge and no loss on Nathan Thomas in slot 193; it is a wash and a sensible one. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Javion Cohen at pick No. 194 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Layden Robinson in the 196th overall pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Dallin Holker in pick 198 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A need, and now a little less of one.
Taking AJ Barner in No. 200 is close to grand larceny; a tight end that good had no business lasting this long. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Kamal Hadden at pick No. 204 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
They reached a country mile for Andrew Coker at Round 6, Pick 37, and the board is aghast. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A real head-scratcher, Jacob Monk in the 214th pick is miles ahead of his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Rasheen Ali at slot 221 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Jawhar Jordan at the Round 7 slot is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Keilan Robinson. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A wild overpay on Frank Gore Jr. in the 226th overall pick, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Logan Lee at No. 231 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They paid up for Myles Murphy at the 234th pick when waiting would have done the job. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Fair-plus on Tarheeb Still, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Brevyn Spann-Ford in slot 249 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Value said wait; Trey Knox in No. 252 says they were not listening. The roster fit checks out.
Andrew Raym at Round 7, Pick 33 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
X'Zauvea Gadlin at the Round 7 slot is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.