B+
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals won the night they stopped Pierce from sliding. Grade: B+.
by jordans ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 2 steals
· 2 reaches
When a board-topper like Hollin Pierce slides to pick No. 153, you do not overthink it, and the Cardinals did not. More right than wrong, and a B+ to match.
They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast. They will regret leaving quarterback for another day if the season turns on it. The cost of the Gillotte reach is exactly the players who went right after him.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but quarterback.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 17 they get a matchup problem out wide. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
A premium they did not need to pay, Ashton Gillotte a notch or two before his time. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Donovan Jackson at slot 78 is a conviction pick that outran the value. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Xavier Restrepo is a better player than No. 81 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They paid sticker price for Ajani Cornelius in the 114th overall pick, and that is fine. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Jordan Phillips in pick No. 118 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Hollin Pierce in pick 153 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.