Now that the season is over, it's time to get into the mock draft season. I think we all have a fairly good idea of what the Cards needs are and I've tried to use those as the basis for this mock:
Round 1: Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida: He should give the Cards their pass rushing force for years to come. He has the size, speed, and athleticism to excel as an edge rusher in the NFL.
Round 2: TJ Yeldon, RB, Alabama: A perfect compliment to Ellington and would allow Ellington to return the more effective role he occupied as a rookie. Yeldon has been a 3 year starter and has nice pass catching skills as well. He'd be a steal in round 2.
Round 3: D'joun Smith CB, Florida Atlantic: My preferred choice is Kevin Johnson from Wake Forest but he'll likely be gone. Smith is no slouch in his own right. He's a ball hawk who can also support the run. He had 7 ints in 2013 and was the team's MVP.
Round 4: Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland: A great all purpose threat in the Percy Harvin mold. He can be the player the Cards thought they were getting when they signed Ted Ginn. He has the speed and elusiveness to score every time he touches the ball. Durability is an issue.
Round 5: Jake Ryan, ILB, Michigan: There's a later round player every year that I really want the Cards to draft and this year it's Ryan. I think he can be a force at ILB now that he has rounded back into form from his knee injury 2 years ago.
Round 6: Aundrey Walker, OG, USC: He's been injury prone with ankle issues but he's a highly talented player with a ton of upside. He's also big enough to back up at OT if needed but could be a force on the interior OL.
Round 7: Noah Spence, OLB, Ohio State: He's absolutely worth taking a flyer on in the late rounds. He's not only a 1st round talent but a top half of the 1st round talent. However, his multiple failed drug tests(Ecstasy) will probably lead him to be undrafted. He's a good kid that just needs to mature and is similar in that way to Honey Badger.
