Dedicating a thread to looking at the draft via the roster

[Chopper0080]

CB

SMB
Max Melton
STV
Garrett Williams
Elijah Jones
Kei'Trel Clark

This room is trickier IMO. Gannon and Rallis seem to want rookies to prove it in the secondary, and I think that makes it a little tougher for a rookie to come in and move a player off this list. Clark is about the only CB I see as vulnerable due to where the Cardinals draft and what players should be available. Williams also complicates drafting a CB because he blocks any nickel only prospect. Rounds 3-5 for me here, maybe a player like Nohl Williams offers value with upside and knocks Clark off the 53 if the Cardinals even want to keep 6 CBs.

 

[Chopper0080]

S

Budda Baker
Jalen Thompson
DTD
Joey Blount

I think the only way Monti drafts a S is if he wants to keep 5 or trades Jalen Thompson. I don't think either of those will happen so I don't believe S is worth a look.

 

[PDXChris]

Couldn't agree more with all of this. With that being said, watch we draft a CB at 16.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

CB

SMB
Max Melton
STV
Garrett Williams
Elijah Jones
Kei'Trel Clark

This room is trickier IMO. Gannon and Rallis seem to want rookies to prove it in the secondary, and I think that makes it a little tougher for a rookie to come in and move a player off this list. Clark is about the only CB I see as vulnerable due to where the Cardinals draft and what players should be available. Williams also complicates drafting a CB because he blocks any nickel only prospect. Rounds 3-5 for me here, maybe a player like Nohl Williams offers value with upside and knocks Clark off the 53 if the Cardinals even want to keep 6 CBs.

I am not sold on SMB

I know some say he improved as the season went along

But we were tearing him up in the gameday thread

He was bad and not improving

Over paid weak link

I'd rather play the kids and give them more experience

 

[Chopper0080]

So, in terms of the defense, here is my summary.

DL - Rounds 1-2 only
EDGE - Likely rounds 1-5
ILB - Likely rounds 3-5 (maybe round 2)
CB - probably not, maybe rounds 4-5
S - probably not

 

[Chopper0080]

Couldn't agree more with all of this. With that being said, watch we draft a CB at 16.

For sure.

 

[Chopper0080]

Rounds by round, here are the positions that I would guess Monti would target based on the roster and the likelihood those players can make the 53. (in no particular order and none of my preference)

1 - WR, OT, OG, DL, EDGE
2 - WR, OT, OG, DL, EDGE (ILB?)
3 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB (DL maybe if someone drops)
4 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB, CB
5 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB, CB

 

[MadCardDisease]

Very nicely put together. Thanks for the effort!

 

[Chopper0080]

I am not sold on SMB

I know some say he improved as the season went along

But we were tearing him up in the gameday thread

He was bad and not improving

Over paid weak link

I'd rather play the kids and give them more experience

My guess is you will see more Melton in 2025. That is likely the plan. Get the roster to a point where you can cut SMB before 2026 because Melton, Williams, STV, and Jones are a solid group. The biggest question for this position group is if they roster 5 or 6.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Rounds by round, here are the positions that I would guess Monti would target based on the roster and the likelihood those players can make the 53. (in no particular order and none of my preference)

1 - WR, OT, OG, DL, EDGE
2 - WR, OT, OG, DL, EDGE (ILB?)
3 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB (DL maybe if someone drops)
4 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB, CB
5 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB, CB

I pretty much agree with this. However I would break it down based off if they trade back in the first round

1 (Stay at 16) - DL, OT, Edge
1 (Trade out of 16) - DL, OT, OG, Edge
2 - OG, DL, EDGE, WR, ILB
3 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB, DT
4 - WR, OG, ILB, CB, RB, S
5 - WR, OG, ILB, CB, RB, S

 

[Chopper0080]

I think this is a great exercise

@BritCard definitely had a good idea.

 

[Chopper0080]

I pretty much agree with this. However I would break it down based off if they trade back in the first round

1 (Stay at 16) - DL, OT, Edge
1 (Trade out of 16) - DL, OT, OG, Edge
2 - OG, DL, EDGE, WR, ILB
3 - WR, OG, EDGE, ILB, DT
4 - WR, OG, ILB, CB, RB, S
5 - WR, OG, ILB, CB, RB, S

That would make sense to me as well. I hope Monti doesn't take a OG at 16.

 

[kerouac9]

This is a great thread. Good idea, @BritCard !

Wouldn't be surprised to see us draft some injured guys that we can stash on PUP/IR until other injuries set in. Nothing Monti loves more.

 

[CardNots]

This is a great thread. Good idea, @BritCard !

Wouldn't be surprised to see us draft some injured guys that we can stash on PUP/IR until other injuries set in. Nothing Monti loves more.

Makes total sense

 

[BigDavis75]

QB

Kyler Murray
Jacoby Brissett
Clayton Tune

I think we can rule out a QB in the first 5 rounds of the draft. Maybe they take a flier on a QB late, but I don't see any of these guys beating out Brissett or Tune.

I haven’t seen anything from Tune that indicates he should be on an nfl roster. They brought in Huntley for a tryout and I’d imagine anyone they think warrants a late round pick or udfa signing will beat out tune.

 

[GeorgiaCard88]

I am not sold on SMB

I know some say he improved as the season went along

But we were tearing him up in the gameday thread

He was bad and not improving

Over paid weak link

I'd rather play the kids and give them more experience

Agreed- reading the tea leaves, they want to move on from SMB. Remember when he got a neck injury? Pretty sure it was from whip lash while turning around after he was getting cooked

Only security SMB has is that he is the vet in a young room and the cardinals were not able to secure someone else in free agency.

 

[BigDavis75]

TE

Trey McBride
Tip Reiman
Elijah Higgins
Travis Vokolek

This is a pretty good draft class for TEs. I would be a little shocked if AZ pursued any though.

McBride and Reiman are safe IMO.

Higgins is a similar situation to Demercado IMO. You could upgrade with a guy like Fannin or Arroyo or Ferguson, but you don't get cost savings, and probably a minimal increase in production.

Vokolek is upgradable. I could see AZ grabbing a player if they felt a blocking TE dropped who had more receiving upside than Vok. Minimal production increase though because he is TE4. Seems like something to do if you hate the board late. Probably not likely.

Higgins is a strong TE3, I don’t want to spend draft capital upgrading that spot. TE4…whatever maybe there’s a better UDFA.

 

[Proximo]

ILB

Mack Wilson
Akeem Davis-Gaither
Mykal Walker
Owen Pappoe

Needless to say, all of these players are upgradable but it is more about how much does Monti want to invest to upgrade them. This is a rounds 1-5 option, but based on how Monti has valued the position so far, I would say it's more likely 2-5. Pappoe seems to be on the outside looking in, but they also could be happy with where he is at. I could see Monty being happy with throwing a 5th at Bassa from Oregon.

Just a question, does anyone think the plan might be to move Zaven back to MLB. Personally I think he played better there.

 

[GeorgiaCard88]

Just a question, does anyone think the plan might be to move Zaven back to MLB. Personally I think he played better there.

I’m not against it- he’s way faster than kyzir, good against the run and decent in coverage. Of the newly revamped front 7 squad, he has the most experience in Gannons defense than anyone else which is kind of wild to think about

 

[BACH]

Awesome post! Thanks for the effort and great output. Makes the approach very structured.

 

[HairZach]

Agreed- reading the tea leaves, they want to move on from SMB. Remember when he got a neck injury? Pretty sure it was from whip lash while turning around after he was getting cooked

Only security SMB has is that he is the vet in a young room and the cardinals were not able to secure someone else in free agency.

SMB has security because of how bad Max Melton was in comparison. Now we're all hoping Max develops, but there's a world where he doesn't overtake SMB.

If Max is looking good early maybe SMB is trade deadline material for some injured team.

 

[BACH]

Higgins is a strong TE3, I don’t want to spend draft capital upgrading that spot. TE4…whatever maybe there’s a better UDFA.

TE is also the one that I disagree the most with.

Our #1 is already arguebly the best in the league.
I would argue Higgins is a definite top 5 as #3.
Our #2 has the potential to be a top 3 #2. Not there yet obviously. But vital pierce of the run game. Tested of the charts in athleticism - basicly the TE equivalent to DE Stewart this year. And playing a position where the adjustment to the NFL usually takes the longest.

I know this is partially a roster numbers game, but as I stated in my 1st wave wrap-up. The roster is good from the bottom up. It’s the top talent that is missing. For a position where the top talent is already there, I do not see it happening.

 

[BACH]

So, in terms of the defense, here is my summary.

DL - Rounds 1-2 only
EDGE - Likely rounds 1-5
ILB - Likely rounds 3-5 (maybe round 2)
CB - probably not, maybe rounds 4-5
S - probably not

Following my own logic of only adding top talent in filled rooms would change the CB.

If one of the top CBs drop in the 1st or 2nd I would consider it, otherwise I would not draft one at all. The CB has great depth already. No need to add depth in the later rounds.

 

[kerouac9]

Just a question, does anyone think the plan might be to move Zaven back to MLB. Personally I think he played better there.

I’m so excited for the 24 threads on this topic between now and opening day.

There will be many new insights!

 

[Chopper0080]

I haven’t seen anything from Tune that indicates he should be on an nfl roster. They brought in Huntley for a tryout and I’d imagine anyone they think warrants a late round pick or udfa signing will beat out tune.

I don't think they will carry 3 and QBs can take time. I would argue it is more of a statement on the quality of this QB draft class.