B-
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals worked the phones like thieves and earned a B-.
by Zipper ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 69 picks
· 17 steals
· 46 reaches
The Cardinals put a flag in the ground for Dayon Hayes, 150 picks before anyone else would have, and the value took the hit. A sturdy weekend that grades out a B-.
That is a running back worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly. The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
They reached into another round for Donovan Ezeiruaku, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They talked themselves into Alfred Collins at No. 39, and the board did not agree. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They jumped the gun on Deone Walker, taking him earlier than his grade liked. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Donovan Jackson in the Round 2 slot is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Tate Ratledge at the 76th overall pick is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Antwaun Powell-Ryland well ahead of where he belonged. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
David Walker in pick No. 81 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.
Value said wait; Joshua Farmer in pick 90 says they were not listening. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Tyler Batty at the 91st pick is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Ahmed Hassanein at slot 96 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Andrew Mukuba in No. 101 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. A minor itch, scratched.
You do not let a linebacker like Carson Schwesinger reach Round 4, Pick 6 and blink. They did not. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They let Maxwell Hairston come to them and pounced at the Round 4 slot. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Value with a capital V on Tez Johnson in the 112th overall pick, a genuine coup. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Jack Bech at No. 113 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Elijah Arroyo at slot 117 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It fills a real need, too.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Willie Lampkin in the 122nd pick, miles early. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Jeffrey Bassa at pick No. 123 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. The roster fit checks out.
They barely believed it either: Cam Skattebo still on the board at Round 4, Pick 24. A need, and now a little less of one.
No drama and no debate, Jay Higgins went about where he belonged in pick 126. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A top-tier offensive lineman at a bargain, Luke Kandra in the Round 4 slot, plain and simple. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Dayon Hayes this early at the 128th overall pick. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They took Jaylin Noel at par in pick No. 135, which is nothing to complain about. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Circle this one: Billy Bowman Jr. at slot 138 is a fall that decides a draft. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
They reached a country mile for Jonah Monheim at the 139th overall pick, and the board is aghast. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A real head-scratcher, Kyle Williams in the 145th pick is miles ahead of his ranking. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Jabbar Muhammad. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
They will replay Cody Simon at Round 5, Pick 14 for years; that is how good the value is. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Nick Nash slipping to No. 152 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A wild overpay on Ricky White III in pick 157, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for JJ Pegues. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A big swing on Shaun Dolac at pick No. 159, well ahead of any board in the building. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
CJ West at slot 160 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. The roster fit checks out.
Jalen Travis at the 162nd pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Jonas Sanker at the 164th overall pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
A wild overpay on Jacob Parrish in pick 165, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Tonka Hemingway. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A big swing on Xzavier Henderson at Round 5, Pick 32, well ahead of any board in the building. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
The board fumbled Oronde Gadsden II all the way to the 172nd pick, and they scooped it up. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Maxen Hook in No. 173 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
A real head-scratcher, Ty Hamilton in the 174th overall pick is miles ahead of his ranking. It fills a real need, too.
Steal is underselling it; Quinshon Judkins at pick 175 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Addison West in pick No. 177, miles early. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Value said wait; KJ Jefferson in Round 6, Pick 13 says they were not listening. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
By-the-book stuff, Nazir Stackhouse at the Round 6 slot squarely in line with his ranking. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Seth McLaughlin at slot 190 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Connor Colby at the 191st pick is the proof. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Akheem Mesidor in No. 194 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Shilo Sanders at pick 195 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Jamaree Caldwell well ahead of where he belonged. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
They reached into another round for Tim Smith, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Jimmy Horn Jr. this early at Round 6, Pick 24. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Miles Frazier at the Round 6 slot is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
They talked themselves into Logan Parr at pick No. 202, and the board did not agree. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They reached a country mile for Jahvaree Ritzie at pick No. 203, and the board is aghast. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They reached into another round for Paris Shand, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. 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 Thor Griffith. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Value said wait; Garrett Dellinger in pick 225 says they were not listening. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
De'Corian Clark at slot 227 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A linebacker of that caliber at No. 228 is the definition of value, full stop. A need, and now a little less of one.
Jay Toia at the 233rd overall pick is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
R.J. Oben at the Round 7 slot is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A real head-scratcher, Joey Slackman in Round 7, Pick 21 is miles ahead of his ranking. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They reached a country mile for Steven Parker at No. 239, and the board is aghast. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Cooper Mays in the 240th pick, miles early. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A big swing on Javontez Spraggins at pick No. 241, well ahead of any board in the building. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Bryan Felter in slot 243 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Jackson Hawes is a better player than the Round 7 slot suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Marcus Yarns at the 247th overall pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. The roster fit checks out.