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Cards DRAFTING FOR THECardinals
Draft Selections
Draft Picks Received
Draft Picks Traded
Players Gained
Draft Grade — Cardinals
Overall
A-
ValueB
NeedB+
TradesA+
FutureA-
The Cardinals worked the phones like thieves and earned a A-. The Cardinals ran the phones like sharks, prying loose value on deal after deal until the ledger was lopsided. This is how you run a draft, and the A- reflects it.
It is not that Carson is a bad player; it is that the Cardinals had louder needs to answer first. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. That Melton pick is the receipt they will wave around later.
The hoard sets up next April more than it helps this September.
Bottom line, with Dallas Turner leading the way, this is a class that should pay off fast and rarely be regretted.
Pick Analysis
Pick13
Rnd1
Dallas Turner
In the 13th pick they get a disruptor off the edge at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick23
Rnd1
Troy Fautanu
Troy Fautanu in the Round 1 slot is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick35
Rnd2
Jackson Powers-Johnson
Jackson Powers-Johnson at the 35th overall pick is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick37
Rnd2
Ladd McConkey
Ladd McConkey in pick 37 lands just on the right side of the ledger. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick66
Rnd3
Xavier Worthy
A quiet steal in pick No. 66: Xavier Worthy for less than the market said. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick69
Rnd3
Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. at Round 3, Pick 5 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick71
Rnd3
Ja'Lynn Polk
Ja'Lynn Polk at No. 71 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick90
Rnd3
Max Melton
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Max Melton in slot 90. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Pick104
Rnd4
Caelen Carson
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Caelen Carson at cornerback with quarterback, running back and other spots open.
Pick112
Rnd4
Leonard Taylor III
They took Leonard Taylor III at par in No. 112, which is nothing to complain about. It fills a real need, too.













