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NFL.com’s Adam Rank doesn’t even consider a defensive player for the Cardinals with the 16th pick.
If you have paid attention to the Arizona Cardinals’ pre-draft work over the last more than a month, you would know they are very interested in the top prospects on the defensive interior and defensive edge. Their offseason has been focused on improving their defense.
For this reason, any mock draft that has them going in any other direction than the edge and defensive line seems odd.
NFL.com’s Adam Rank has a new first-round mock draft and, rather than predicting what teams would do, he made selections based on what he would do.
For the Cardinals, who have the 16th overall pick, he doesn’t pick a defensive player.
He picks Alabama guard Tyler Booker.
You might want to look at a receiver at this point, and I feel you on that; pairing another young stud with Marvin Harrison Jr. would definitely be a good way to go. But fortifying the offensive line and taking that unit up another level would really pay off in the long run. I’d still like a receiver at some point on the draft board, but Booker is too good for you to pass up on here.
The Cardinals have three positions where a first-round pick could have a significant impact in 2025. Guard is one of them, along with receiver and inside linebacker.
On paper, taking Booker makes sense. He is a top-level talent at guard and could start immediately at right guard. His athleticism could be questioned for what the Cardinals like their guards to do, but it makes sense.
But Rank doesn’t even consider the defense and picks Booker over a receiver. Drafting a receiver in the first round isn’t a crazy idea, although it feels like there is no chance that happens.
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