B+
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals fleeced the room on the phones and earned a B+.
by Stan93 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 99 picks
· 25 steals
· 56 reaches
Some picks age like wine; Keilan Robinson at slot 166 will need to, sitting 114 spots clear of his grade. More right than wrong, and a B+ to match.
Landing McCormick that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast.
The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 1 they get a weapon on the perimeter at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In No. 6 they get a plug-and-play piece up front, though they paid up to get him. The biggest hole, addressed.
In pick No. 9 they get a matchup weapon at tight end. A real need, handled.
In slot 12 they get a press-man option on the boundary. Need was not the driver here.
In the 21st overall pick they get an anchor for the defensive front, even if it was a touch early. A clean fit for the roster.
In the 23rd pick they get a three-down second-level presence, reach and all.
Mike Sainristil at Round 1, Pick 24 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
In pick 25 they get a mismatch in the passing game, a steep price for the projection.
In pick No. 27 they get a matchup problem out wide. Exactly the need they had to hit.
In No. 29 they get a home-run threat at receiver. Exactly the need they had to hit.
In the 30th pick they get a No. 1 receiver, even if it was a touch early. The biggest hole, addressed.
They talked themselves into Malachi Corley at slot 31, and the board did not agree. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
In the Round 1 slot they get a bell-cow for the offense, though the board says they badly overpaid. A real need, handled.
Fair-plus on J.J. McCarthy, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A market-rate wide receiver, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Roman Wilson. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They took Keon Coleman at par in the 38th pick, which is nothing to complain about. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A real head-scratcher, Renardo Green in Round 2, Pick 8 is miles ahead of his ranking. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Ruke Orhorhoro at pick No. 44 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. The roster fit checks out.
A conviction pick on T'Vondre Sweat at the Round 2 slot that the board grades a round light. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They reached a country mile for Marshawn Kneeland at No. 48, and the board is aghast. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Mekhi Wingo at pick 50 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A big swing on Maason Smith at the 57th overall pick, well ahead of any board in the building. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A tidy little value on Chris Braswell in the 58th overall pick, a step better than break-even. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Cade Stover at Round 2, Pick 27 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They let Xavier Legette come to them and pounced at pick 63. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A reach on Javon Baker in the 66th pick; the board had better options right there. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They reached into another round for Cole Bishop, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
Value said wait; Roger Rosengarten in No. 68 says they were not listening. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Jarvis Brownlee Jr.. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
You do not let a safety like Tyler Nubin reach slot 70 and blink. They did not. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
Steal is underselling it; Junior Colson at pick 71 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It fills a real need, too.
Christian Haynes in the 74th overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They barely believed it either: Adonai Mitchell still on the board at pick No. 75. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Luke McCaffrey in No. 76 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. 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. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
They jumped the gun on MarShawn Lloyd, taking him earlier than his grade liked. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Isaac Guerendo in slot 89, miles early. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They will replay Adisa Isaac at the 92nd pick for years; that is how good the value is. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Blake Fisher in the 94th overall pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Value with a capital V on Brandon Dorlus in Round 3, Pick 33, a genuine coup. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Kamari Lassiter at No. 97 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
They liked DeWayne Carter enough to skip the value, taking him in the 100th pick. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They paid a round early for Cedric Gray in pick No. 103, more than the board wanted. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Tommy Eichenberg at slot 104 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A need, and now a little less of one.
Circle this one: Bralen Trice at pick 105 is a fall that decides a draft. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Leonard Taylor III this early at the Round 4 slot. It fills a real need, too.
A wild overpay on Tyler Davis in the Round 4 slot, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Taking Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in pick 110 is close to grand larceny; a linebacker that good had no business lasting this long. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Patrick Paul at No. 114 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Nice patience on Brandon Coleman, who had no business lasting to Round 4, Pick 15. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Good price on Zak Zinter in slot 116, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They paid sticker price for Brennan Jackson in the 117th pick, and that is fine. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Kris Abrams-Draine at the 123rd overall pick is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
A top-tier edge rusher at a bargain, Jonah Elliss in pick No. 124, plain and simple. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A straight-up fair deal on Javon Foster at No. 129, value and slot in agreement. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Cody Schrader in Round 4, Pick 30 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Ty'Ron Hopper this early at the Round 4 slot. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They reached into another round for Gabe Hall, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. The roster fit checks out.
A wild overpay on Jaden Crumedy in pick No. 138, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Nathaniel Watson well ahead of where he belonged. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Edefuan Ulofoshio in pick 140 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A need, and now a little less of one.
The board fumbled Caelen Carson all the way to the 149th overall pick, and they scooped it up. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
A wide receiver of that caliber at pick 151 is the definition of value, full stop. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Matt Goncalves in the 152nd overall pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Walter Rouse in the Round 5 slot is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Trevor Keegan at No. 159 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They robbed the room for Jamari Thrash here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Jawhar Jordan in Round 5, Pick 28, miles early. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A real head-scratcher, Keilan Robinson in slot 166 is miles ahead of his ranking. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Nelson Ceaser in the 167th pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Khristian Boyd at Round 5, Pick 32 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Marist Liufau at pick No. 170 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Somehow Anthony Gould was still sitting there in the 171st pick, and they pounced on premier wide receiver value. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A reasonable price with a little left over, AJ Barner in slot 172. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Justin Eboigbe at pick 175 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Grayson Murphy in the Round 6 slot is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A big swing on Zion Tupuola-Fetui at No. 180, well ahead of any board in the building. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Value said wait; Logan Lee in the 181st overall pick says they were not listening. A need, and now a little less of one.
They reached a country mile for Jaylon Carlies at pick No. 183, and the board is aghast. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Brevyn Spann-Ford. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They talked themselves into Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint at slot 190, and the board did not agree. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Taking Tykee Smith in Round 6, Pick 18 is close to grand larceny; a safety that good had no business lasting this long. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Dallin Holker at the Round 6 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. The roster fit checks out.
Somehow Beau Brade was still sitting there in pick 207, and they pounced on premier safety value. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
JD Bertrand at the 210th overall pick is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A premium they did not need to pay, Jaylen Harrell a notch or two before his time. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Eric Watts at pick No. 218 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Myles Murphy at slot 219 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
No drama and no debate, Justin Rogers went about where he belonged in the 221st pick. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They barely believed it either: Javion Cohen still on the board at pick 222. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Michael Barrett well ahead of where he belonged. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Trey Knox in the 226th overall pick is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It fills a real need, too.
They reached into another round for Frank Gore Jr., and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
The board fumbled Mason McCormick all the way to No. 230, and they scooped it up. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Tarheeb Still at pick 231 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Jacob Monk in the 232nd overall pick is fair value, right on his grade. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Drake Nugent this early at slot 236. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Andrew Raym at No. 238 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A big swing on Andrew Coker at the 253rd pick, well ahead of any board in the building. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.