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It is officially draft week. The 2025 NFL draft will begin Thursday night with the first round in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Arizona Cardinals have the 16th pick in the draft and a total of six picks in the second rounds over three days.
In what direction will they go?
We are getting some final mock drafts and Pro Football Network has seven-round projections entering the week leading into the actual draft. Let's have a look at their picks for Arizona.
They project the Cardinals will move up in the second round, giving up their third-round pick and a 2026 third-rounder to move up from No. 47 to No. 35.
The Cardinals taking an edge rusher with the 16th pick is no surprise. Taking Stewart when Mykel Williams is on the board (he goes No. 28) is. While Stewart's athleticism is elite, there is a lot to wonder about his production (1.5 sacks each of his last three seasons) and he has never had to drop into coverage, something the Cardinals ask of their outside linebackers.
Campbell does fill a notable need on the roster, but GM Monti Ossenfort has only traded up once in two years, and that was after moving back in the same round. There is the report that they could be looking to move back up into Round 1, but that is reportedly for a developmental position, which would not likely be an inside linebacker.
The three remaining picks all make sense. Brown has good length and athleticism, but no one would expect him to play in 2025. Adding a defensive tackle and a receiver on Day 3 are all reasonable picks.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals trade up in 7-round projections
Continue reading...
In what direction will they go?
We are getting some final mock drafts and Pro Football Network has seven-round projections entering the week leading into the actual draft. Let's have a look at their picks for Arizona.
They project the Cardinals will move up in the second round, giving up their third-round pick and a 2026 third-rounder to move up from No. 47 to No. 35.
7-round Arizona Cardinals mock draft
- Round 1 (No. 16 overall): Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart
- Round 2 (No. 35 overall): Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell
- Round 4 (No. 115 overall): Kansas OL Logan Brown
- Round 5 (No. 152 overall): Ole Miss DT J.J. Pegues
- Round 7 (No. 225): Auburn WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith
Analysis
The Cardinals taking an edge rusher with the 16th pick is no surprise. Taking Stewart when Mykel Williams is on the board (he goes No. 28) is. While Stewart's athleticism is elite, there is a lot to wonder about his production (1.5 sacks each of his last three seasons) and he has never had to drop into coverage, something the Cardinals ask of their outside linebackers.
Campbell does fill a notable need on the roster, but GM Monti Ossenfort has only traded up once in two years, and that was after moving back in the same round. There is the report that they could be looking to move back up into Round 1, but that is reportedly for a developmental position, which would not likely be an inside linebacker.
The three remaining picks all make sense. Brown has good length and athleticism, but no one would expect him to play in 2025. Adding a defensive tackle and a receiver on Day 3 are all reasonable picks.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals trade up in 7-round projections
Continue reading...
