,'S MOCK DRAFT

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  • , DRAFTING FOR THE
    Cardinals
Draft Selections
Armand Membou Head Shot
PICK: 16 RND: 1 (ARI)
Armand Membou
OT Missouri
Benjamin Morrison Head Shot
PICK: 47 RND: 2 (ARI)
Benjamin Morrison
CB Notre Dame
Barrett Carter Head Shot
PICK: 78 RND: 3 (ARI)
Barrett Carter
LB Clemson
James Burnip Head Shot
PICK: 115 RND: 4 (ARI)
James Burnip
P Alabama
Will Howard Head Shot
PICK: 152 RND: 5 (ARI)
Will Howard
QB Ohio State
Draft Grade — Cardinals
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
Larceny in the 152nd overall pick lands the Cardinals a B-, Howard and all.

The Cardinals spent the weekend waiting on one name, and it fell: Will Howard, the No. 103 name on the board, in No. 152.

If Burnip pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. It is not that Burnip is a bad player; it is that the Cardinals had louder needs to answer first. Leaving wide receiver unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.

All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but wide receiver.

Pick Analysis
Pick16 Rnd1 Armand Membou
Armand Membou at the 16th pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick47 Rnd2 Benjamin Morrison
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Benjamin Morrison. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick78 Rnd3 Barrett Carter
Barrett Carter at the Round 3 slot is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick115 Rnd4 James Burnip
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending slot 115 on James Burnip with wide receiver, edge rusher and other spots unsolved.
Pick152 Rnd5 Will Howard
Steal is underselling it; Will Howard at No. 152 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.