This thread is awesome.
Good job gentlemen
1 - Chance Warmack, OG
Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/chance-warmack?id=2539194
The reasoning is easy. First, he is the best player in the draft. Second: Find a hallway, and a chair. Then find the middle of the hallway, take some masking tape, and put a line across the hallway floor. Take the chair and put the chair 2 feet behind the line, and then walk down the hallway. Once you are done with that, take the chair and put it 2 feet in front of the line in the hallway, and then walk down the hallway.
Now, if that line was the line of scrimmage, in which instance was it easier to gain the line of scrimmage ? Obviously, the setup in which the chair was 2 feet in front of the line right ? OK, well there is your difference between Chance Warmack, and a "Daryn Colledge" type guard. Not to mention besides power, and technique, he has the ability to pass block, and get to the second level. Easiest pick in a draft since Patrick Peterson, IMO.
2 - Alex Okafor, OLB
Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/alex-okafor?id=2539319
If you look at the current Cardinals roster, they need a balanced, every down type outside linebacker. Okafor has great measurables, long, stong arms and a frame that he can add to. What I like about Okafor is the more I read about him, the more I hear he is student of the game with great work ethic. He is FAR from a one trick pony. He can beat a player with speed, power, or finesse. It is a conservative pick, because if Okafor struggles to a pass rushing I believe he will still be an asset against the run, in coverage, and his overall ability. Not to mention he could make Sam Acho expendable in a few years, which in today's NFL is a needed commodity.
The Cardinals don't know what they have with Lorenzo Alexander, and they do know that O'Brien Schofield is a injury-prone, and a liability against the run. Okafor can come in and help depth wise day 1 in my opinion.
3 - Travis Kelce, TE
Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/travis-kelce?id=2540258
The Cardinals have a pass catcher in Rob Housler, a blocker in Jeff King. In my opinion they need a tweener, and that is where Kelce fits in the Cardinals roster. He is a very good blocker first and foremost, and unlike Rob Housler, Kelce would be relied on to block. Yet, he has good athletic ability, and good size. He can catch passes, and make a player here and there when needed. Unfortunately, he was hurt for the combine, and senior bowl, and was suspended for a year back in school. So there are some concerns. Yet, he has non-official 4.7 speed, good size, decent pass catching skills, and again, can block well. Bruce Arians likes tight ends, and was quoted on saying, "I am not a fullback guy." We have 2 good tight ends on the roster, and 1 good fullback who is too small to put at tight end. Thus, this team needs a tight end, and Kelce fits best.
4 - Landry Jones, QB
Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/landry-jones?id=2539287
Thank you CBS.com. I will take Landry Jones in the 4th round, all day long. In my past mock drafts, I have the Cardinals picking Matt Scott in the 5th round, but with the mindset that Matt Scott would be groomed to be a backup. In this case with Landry Jones, there is nothing that would prevent me from saying, though picked in the 4th round, that Jones couldn't start in Bruce Arians' system. He would not start day 1, but eventually he could. The biggest question about Jones and why he is in the 4th round in some draft sites is his mentality. He can get rattled, and everything falls apart. He has the size, he has the skill, he has the ability to produce, he can make all the passes, but if he starts to get hit, then that all unravels. Can he find mental clarity ? I don't know, but I would spend a 4th round pick to find out any day of the week and twice on Sundays. He is a project with a massive upside.
5 - Garret Gilkey, OT/OG
Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/garrett-gilkey?id=2540227
So why do we do, 20 mock drafts before the actual draft ? Garret Gilkey, I dunno, just never took a look at him. Yet, today when forced to follow the rules of this thread, and with Landry Jones available in the fourth round, he just jumped out at me for the pick. Student athlete, athletic enough to play basketball, track, and wrestle, a three year starter at left tackle, and has bunch of awards in his trophey case. Was said to hold his own at the Senior bowl against better competition. Good measurables accept his arms are a little short. There is not too much on this kid, but he fits the bill for what the Cardinals want on there offensive line.
6 - Duke Williams, S
Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/duke-williams?id=2539269
Finally, getting to the safety position in the 6th round ? Yeah, well as deep as the safety class is, it is tough to fit them in between the players I have above. Duke Williams is 100% boom or bust. He is a track star, he hits like a ton of bricks, ULTRA aggressive. There are some definite off the field concerns as well. But, if I could take Duke Williams in the 6th round, then I would be all over it. Not much of a risk at this position, and the potential is there for him to be out on the field in sub-packages day one. Serious speed, and the ability to lay the big hit. Both are needed on this current roster. At worst his speed will be an asset on special teams. We all know the Cardinals need some more depth at safety, and Williams would fill the role nicely.
6 - Knile Davis, HB
Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/knile-davis?id=2540178
When you are 5'10", 227lbs, run a 4.37 forty, and can bench press 31 times......uh, yeah. I have no problem spending a 6th round pick on that type of athlete. The problem is he has fumbling problems, is injury prone, gets tripped up easily, and doesn't show his speed in pads. Again, boom or bust, but regardless, he is big and stong. Put him as your 4th running back, use him on special teams. Who knows, if he stays healthy for a period of time and improves, then you have a very fast, and strong option in your backfield. If you don't ? It's a sixth round pick.
. But using this format and thinking the Cards will go heavy offense since they addressed nothing but defense in FA, my picks look like this:
