4 Favorite 1st Round Players for the Cardinals

[Mitch]

1. QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota St.

BA has been raving about Wentz and with good reason---the size, mobility, arm strength and leadership.

It would take a trade with the Tennessee Titans to move up to the #1 pick because it appears that Cleveland at #2 is trying to decide between Wentz and Jared Goff.

Could the Titans be interested in a trade package that would involve WR Michael Floyd, T D.J. Humphries and the #29 pick?

All three of the Titans' biggest needs (WR, T, and CB) could be solved at once in this trade---then they would have the rest of their draft to fortify other areas. The #29 pick is set up perfectly for taking one of the top CBs in the draft (Eli Apple, Kendall Fuller, Mackenzie Alexander, William Jackson III).

What about the Cardinals losing Floyd, Humphries and the #29 pick?

It would mean adding FAs at WR, T, and CB.

How about Anquan Boldin?---could you imagine him and Fitz lining up in opposite slots? Boldin obviously is not the deep threat that Floyd is, but BA already has two deep threats in Smoke and Fire. Q's ability to to block and his toughness and chain moving ability are all made to order for BA's offense.

The free agent tackle market already has two solid options in Will Beattie and Jake Long---plus, word is that the Broncos are trying to trade Ryan Clady and that the Jets may release D'Brickishaw Ferguson. Plus, as we saw last year, Earl Watford played well at RT before Bobby Massie returned for his suspension.

As for CB, Jerraud Powers and Leon Hall are still available. Signing one of them and drafting a young, promising CB in the 3rd or 4th round could work out fine, especially if Justin Bethel improves.

In acquiring QB Carson Wentz, BA and the Cardinals would be set at the most important position (QB) for years to come.

Clearly, this kind of a trade is a long shot---but---the way BA has been adamant this off-season about adding a young QB and how often he has raved about Carson Wentz---maybe Steve Keim will make a call to the Titans to see what it would take.

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2. DT/DE Sheldon Rankins, Louisville.

The size, the quick feet---and the sheer competitiveness jump right off the tape. The Cardinals need interior pass rushers, ones who can rip and swim their way to the QB---and ones who are able to slip off their blocks to tackle scrambling threats like Newton and Wilson---Rankins is nifty at that. He's a finisher.

Would the Cardinals be willing to trade the #29 and #92 picks to move up to get him? I would endorse that move without a moment's hesitation.

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3. RB Derrick Henry, Alabama.

In watching some of high profile defensive players in this draft, I have been watching a number of Alabama tapes---and every time I do, there is no question to me who the best, most dominant player on the field is---it's Derrick Henry. For starters, watch the Fiesta Bowl (NCAA Championship Game) versus Clemson. Henry is an absolute stud---he's tough, resilient and quick to shuffle his feet to find a crease and then explode upfield.

If Henry is on the board at #29---there are tow main reasons why I would urge Steve Keim to take him: (1) a tandem of Derrick Henry and David Johnson for the next 5 years would be tremendous---plus Chris Johnson, Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor are all in contract years; (2) in seeing some draft gurus having the Carolina Panthers taking Derrick Henry at #30, that could very well be one of the worst scenarios for the Cardinals if they want to get past Carolina to win the Super Bowl. Henry excels in big games.

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4. S Keanu Neal, Florida.

The Cardinals need to improve their tackling and their toughness---Keanu Neal is an absolute tone setter where tackling and toughness are concerned---he's the type of player who makes everyone else around him tougher and more energized. Plus, Neal is such a smooth athlete. The thought of having Neal along side of the Honey Badger and Deone Bucannon---wow---this Cardinals' defense could rise to a whole new level of excitement.

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Your thoughts?

Who are your 4 top players?

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I can't see Keim even contemplating that trade for Wentz especially when they are in a win now window.

I'm hesitant on Henry. It's hard to determine how Bama backs are going to transfer to the NFL because they have such superior OL blocking in college. Yeldon, Richardson, Ingram(the early years) all struggled. I still like Jordan Howard better.

I like Rankins but he'll be gone. As for Neal, I wouldn't hate it but think they already have a "tone setter" in Swearinger. I'm not for a safety in round 1.


My top 4 are:
1.Eli Apple if he's there. He's young big and fast.

2. A guy who really intrigues me is Will Fuller. You wouldn't think WR would be in play but Fitz is old and Floyd is in a contract year. Fuller has the speed BA desires and could step in if they let Floyd walk.

3. Paxton Lynch. Obvioulsy I'm not privy to his ability to process info and I'm not a huge fan of his. But is BA/Keim think he can be the guy down the road then I'd take him.

4. Noah Spence. I hope he's there just to see what Keim would do. I think they'd pass but he's a top 15 talent but risky.

My ideal scenario would be to trade back about 5-10 spots and take Kendall Fuller the CB from VTech. He had a knee injury but prior to that he was the best CB in college. If he regains form, which is likely, he'll be an absolute stud to be paired with PP. I wouldn't even mind him at 29.

 

[Mitch]

I can't see Keim even contemplating that trade for Wentz especially when they are in a win now window.

You are correct, unless BA&SK feel they can win now and pick up the QBOF who can help them win for a long time to come.

I'm hesitant on Henry. It's hard to determine how Bama backs are going to transfer to the NFL because they have such superior OL blocking in college. Yeldon, Richardson, Ingram(the early years) all struggled. I still like Jordan Howard better.

Eddie Lacy has been productive with the Packers and gives them a power running game, when he's healthy. I think Derrick Henry is head and shoulders better than Lacy. I think he is the best RB to come out of Alabama in a long time.

I like Rankins but he'll be gone. As for Neal, I wouldn't hate it but think they already have a "tone setter" in Swearinger. I'm not for a safety in round 1.

Rankins will be gone unless SK can trade up.

Swearinger in nowhere near the versatile player that Neal is. Yes, he's a big hitter, but he can be a liability at times in coverage.


My top 4 are:
1.Eli Apple if he's there. He's young big and fast.

It always says something if you are high on a Buckeye, because you are usually skeptical. So, I trust you here. Whenever I watched Apple he was grabbing and holding a lot...not just a little...but a lot. With good coaching and time, he could be very good.

2. A guy who really intrigues me is Will Fuller. You wouldn't think WR would be in play but Fitz is old and Floyd is in a contract year. Fuller has the speed BA desires and could step in if they let Floyd walk.

Fuller is PR threat as well. Knowing BA I bet you Fuller is up near the top of the Cardinals' board, and with Fitz, Floyd and Jaron in contract years, a WR, especially one who can upgrade the team's STs, would very much be in consideration.

3. Paxton Lynch. Obvioulsy I'm not privy to his ability to process info and I'm not a huge fan of his. But is BA/Keim think he can be the guy down the road then I'd take him.

I could see the Broncos moving up, maybe even to $29 with the Cardinals in order to take Lynch. My hunch is that BA&SK are just as intrigued with Dak Prescott, Cardale Jones and Jeff Driskel.

4. Noah Spence. I hope he's there just to see what Keim would do. I think they'd pass but he's a top 15 talent but risky.

I think they would pass on Spence---the culture is a priority and risking a 1st round pick may be too precarious, despite the obvious talent.

My ideal scenario would be to trade back about 5-10 spots and take Kendall Fuller the CB from VTech. He had a knee injury but prior to that he was the best CB in college. If he regains form, which is likely, he'll be an absolute stud to be paired with PP. I wouldn't even mind him at 29.

I agree with you about trading back in order to add another Day 2 pick to make up for the one they gave up. However, if Mackensie Alexander, William Jackson III and/or Eli Apple are on the board at #29, I think they would only trade down 2-3 spots.

I can see SK waiting until #92 to draft a CB because there are some very intriguing prospects there, like David Johnson's former teammate at NIU---Deiondre' Hall.

Thanks for your thoughts---I always take a great deal of stock in them.

 

[Iceman]

All 4 mentioned are studs, but Neal is a beast! He is going to have a solid career in the NFL. If he is there at the Cards pick, hope they pull the trigger. The guy can straight up hit

 

[DVontel]

I can't see Keim even contemplating that trade for Wentz especially when they are in a win now window.

I'm hesitant on Henry. It's hard to determine how Bama backs are going to transfer to the NFL because they have such superior OL blocking in college. Yeldon, Richardson, Ingram(the early years) all struggled. I still like Jordan Howard better.

I like Rankins but he'll be gone. As for Neal, I wouldn't hate it but think they already have a "tone setter" in Swearinger. I'm not for a safety in round 1.


My top 4 are:
1.Eli Apple if he's there. He's young big and fast.

2. A guy who really intrigues me is Will Fuller. You wouldn't think WR would be in play but Fitz is old and Floyd is in a contract year. Fuller has the speed BA desires and could step in if they let Floyd walk.

3. Paxton Lynch. Obvioulsy I'm not privy to his ability to process info and I'm not a huge fan of his. But is BA/Keim think he can be the guy down the road then I'd take him.

4. Noah Spence. I hope he's there just to see what Keim would do. I think they'd pass but he's a top 15 talent but risky.

My ideal scenario would be to trade back about 5-10 spots and take Kendall Fuller the CB from VTech. He had a knee injury but prior to that he was the best CB in college. If he regains form, which is likely, he'll be an absolute stud to be paired with PP. I wouldn't even mind him at 29.

Yeldon was actually pretty solid for the Jags last season.


Also, Swearinger is nowhere near as versatile as Neal is. Neal is also a ballhawk, Swearinger is not.

 

[Ohcrap75]

Neal actually brings a lot of the same qualities as HB. Great instincts, range and sure tackling. Having two guys that can cover and also tackle so well in the open field would be awesome.

Four other players I would love to add at #29 are DL Vernon Butler, DE Jonathon Bullard, LB Kamalei Correa and LB Leonard Floyd.

 

[BW52]

Sheldon Rankind DE-DT- Louisville-because he will bring everything everytime everyplay like he did while at U of L.
Kevin Dodd DE-Clemson-improving young DE with Pass rush skills and can play the run.
Joey Bosa DE-DT Ohio State-heart,motor,talent.
Any QB BASK wants.

 

[stretchthefield]

Miles Jack
Jalen Ramsey
Carson Wentz
Jared Goff

None of which will be at 29, so I would be OK with a trade down... or if one of the top DTs slip grab him.

 

[TJ]

So you want to trade two starters and potentially a third starter on a Super Bowl caliber team for a guy who's going to ride the pine this year? This is "win now" mode; not build for the future, although the team may draft a project in the later rounds.

I think what's going to happen with Floyd is he's going to get an extension soon at around $9-10mil/year. There's little certainty w/r/t Fitz as he could potentially retire or sign elsewhere. As nice as John Brown is, I don't think he'd thrive in that #1 role.

Also, I get dreaming is free, but Boldin is not coming back to Arizona. So many people hold on to so much emotion for a guy who burned bridges to the organization his final year here. Let it go.

 

[Chopper0080]

The issue I have with Neal is that I rarely seem him making a play on the ball. He makes tackles and can pick deflected balls, but I don't see much that makes me feel like he can cover.

The more I see, the.more I don't like. I prefer Karl Joseph still.

 

[AZCrazy]

So you want to trade two starters and potentially a third starter on a Super Bowl caliber team for a guy who's going to ride the pine this year? This is "win now" mode; not build for the future, although the team may draft a project in the later rounds.

I think what's going to happen with Floyd is he's going to get an extension soon at around $9-10mil/year. There's little certainty w/r/t Fitz as he could potentially retire or sign elsewhere. As nice as John Brown is, I don't think he'd thrive in that #1 role.

Also, I get dreaming is free, but Boldin is not coming back to Arizona. So many people hold on to so much emotion for a guy who burned bridges to the organization his final year here. Let it go.

The point was, that the team can already 'win now'. What we also want to do is 'win tommorow'. Need a QBOF, and picking at the end of the draft every year will not ever land us one. We'll have to move up at some point to take one. When will we be better equipped than now?

 

[TJ]

The point was, that the team can already 'win now'. What we also want to do is 'win tommorow'. Need a QBOF, and picking at the end of the draft every year will not ever land us one. We'll have to move up at some point to take one. When will we be better equipped than now?

The priorities for this team in order are 1) win today, 2) build for the future.

To pacify priority #1, you cannot sacrifice two starters and potentially a third/significant contributor to shelve a quarterback for two season (it'd likely take a lot more than that haul to move up 27 or 28 spots in the first round). You're right in that it's tough to find a QBoF in the backend of the draft, but if the team has the formula to win a Super Bowl this season, why tinker with it, even if it potentially gets us a QBoF? Mind you, there are certainly no guarantees that Wentz is a long-term solution.

 

[oaken1]

The priorities for this team in order are 1) win today, 2) build for the future.

To pacify priority #1, you cannot sacrifice two starters and potentially a third/significant contributor to shelve a quarterback for two season (it'd likely take a lot more than that haul to move up 27 or 28 spots in the first round). You're right in that it's tough to find a QBoF in the backend of the draft, but if the team has the formula to win a Super Bowl this season, why tinker with it, even if it potentially gets us a QBoF? Mind you, there are certainly no guarantees that Wentz is a long-term solution.

so...offer the Titans this years first, next years first,...and the 2018 first...three first roun picks for the top pick in this draft.....so we would only be sacrificing one (1) starter (potential starter actually) for this upcoming season...
mortgage the future to prepare for the future...and if it work as it should...all three of those picks should be at the back of round one...which would have never netted us a franchise type QB in the first place most likely.

 

[Goldfield]

Too close to a SB to make a major trade like this. We make that trade when Palmer retires. We need every weapon we have to make a two year run

 

[TJ]

so...offer the Titans this years first, next years first,...and the 2018 first...three first roun picks for the top pick in this draft.....so we would only be sacrificing one (1) starter (potential starter actually) for this upcoming season...
mortgage the future to prepare for the future...and if it work as it should...all three of those picks should be at the back of round one...which would have never netted us a franchise type QB in the first place most likely.

For a QB from FCS North Dakota State who only once passed for more than 3000 yards and is most recently coming off of a 1600 yard season?

I get that Wentz is an intriguing pro prospect, but is very much an unknown. Consider the risk for the team who picks him in the Top 5 who doesn't have to mortgage three drafts worth of picks.

Go back to the last time a team mortgaged its future to move up to the Top 5 to grab a potential QBoF. The Redskins in 2012 traded its first round picks in the 2012, 2013, and 2014 drafts plus its 2012 second round to move up only four spots to get RGIII, also considered an unknown by some. Four top-end picks for a QB the team ended up eventually cutting. Even though Cousins has worked for a season so far, it demonstrates that the trade was counterproductive and the team could've used those four picks it gave up to upgrade the rest of the roster, which is still nowhere near championship caliber and barely a playoff team in the worst division in the NFL.

If 3 firsts and a second is the current market for moving four spots, imagine what it'd take to get to #1 from #29.

In short, it's a fool's bet, and if you trust this team's front office, you'll have faith that it will be able to find a QBoF without mortgaging the future like the Redskins did.

 

[GatorAZ]

If you trade up for anyone it's Goff. He's about a natural passer as you can find but he needs a couple years of development taking snaps under center and adding strength.

If the Cowboys pass on him they're ********* IMO.

 

[Buckybird]

If you trade up for anyone it's Goff. He's about a natural passer as you can find but he needs a couple years of development taking snaps under center and adding strength.

If the Cowboys pass on him they're ********* IMO.

If the Cowpies pass on Wentz or Goff they're *********!

I don't know why but I've got a funny feeling Stephen Jones is gonna trade up to #1 & take Wentz.

 

[Buckybird]

Good post Mitch!

My guys I'd trade up for would be:

1) Wentz-I've been touting this kid since the middle part of 2014. I think he's a sure fire can't miss stud QB

2) Rankins-I luv what this guy brings & he would make the Cards D lethal if Keim could somehow trade up to acquire him.

3) Jack-huge upgrade over Minter in the Kueckly mold of coverage & tackling

4) Kenny Clark-very similar to Rankins in that he can be a force on inside pressure to the qb.

 

[Buckybird]

I find it quite disturbing that Ryan Blindley is helping Wentz & Goff in their preparation for the draft! Ugh

 

[TJ]

I find it quite disturbing that Ryan Blindley is helping Wentz & Goff in their preparation for the draft! Ugh

How can you draft either in the first two days if they're entrusting their initial development to the most inept QB to ever take a snap in the NFL?

 

[oaken1]

How can you draft either in the first two days if they're entrusting their initial development to the most inept QB to ever take a snap in the NFL?

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

 

[TJ]

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

It was a joke. A bad one, probably.

 

[Bodha]

Sheldon Rankins - poor mans Aaron Donald. AD being a future HOFr and arguably 2nd best defensive player in the NFL (behind Watt) that's saying a lot, even for a poor mans version.


Mackensie Alexander - love his personality and competitiveness

William Jackson III - Extremely athletic. Looks like a shut down CB

Chris Jones - Inconsistent, but when hes 'on', hes a game changer.

Bonus - Kentrell Brothers. I 100% believe he will be a pro bowler. His height (6') unfairly is nuking his draft position.

 

[Southpaw]

I don't have the patience to crunch the salary trade off numbers, but Wentz would take huge $$$$. Just resigned Drew. Palmer makes huge $$$$. Getting rid of Floyd/Humphries money might offset some. So why not do a sign/trade for Mike Glennon QBOF?

 

[oaken1]

I don't have the patience to crunch the salary trade off numbers, but Wentz would take huge $$$$. Just resigned Drew. Palmer makes huge $$$$. Getting rid of Floyd/Humphries money might offset some. So why not do a sign/trade for Mike Glennon QBOF?

how would wentz take up huge money when the draft slots are capped?