I really like your first four picks. a couple of questions. Lets say for arguments sake Staley isn't there and neither is Hughes, oh what the heck lets say Siler too. What's the backup plan? When would you pull this trade, at our pick or do you draft say Thomas and then wield him?
Finally how do you compare Russell to Lorenzo Booker of FSU?
If the Cardinals had the #31, #37 and #38 picks...and their goal was to select an OT, SLB and CB...and, as you said, Staley, Siler and Hughes are gone when they pick (all of which is unlikely, based on draft projections---ESPN's rankings #33, #40 and #36 respectively---but certainly possible)...
At #31, they would likely be pleasantly surprised to see a blue chip player still available...such as SLB Paul Posluszny (Penn. St.), CB Chris Houston (Arkansas) or CB Aaron Ross (Texas)...so the Cardinals would have to decide between the three...and might be even more pleasantly surprised to see one of them still available at #37.
The decision would likely be made easier if, for example, the Cardinals liked another OLB prospect they were comfortable taking at #37...like a Jon Beason of Miami or Buster Davis of Florida St.
Or maybe they are very high on CBs Tanard Jackson of Syracuse, Jonathan Wade of Tennessee or Josh Wilson of Maryland...in this case they go ahead and take OLB Paul Posluszny at #31...tab Tanard Jackson at #37 and T Tony Ugoh of Arkansas or T Doug Free of Northern Illinois at #38.
The point is...the menu is still extensive for all picks in the #30-38 range, and the Cardinals could come away with three immediate or future starters with those picks.
How about this scenario:
#31 CB Chris Houston, Arkansas...who, IMO, is the best man-to-man CB in this draft.
#37 T Tony Ugoh, Arkansas...major league talent who has all the physical skills and toughness but needs to be coached up...and may wind up to be the best OT in this draft when all is said and done.
#38 OLB Jon Beason, Miami...the best all-around athlete at OLB in the draft.
ESPN's rankings of these players: Houston (#51), Ugoh (#41) and Beason (#39).
As for Gary Russell versus Lorenzo Booker...Russell is much like Marion Barber (Cowboys), his Minnesota teammate and Booker is a scat back in the mold of the Pats' Kevin Faulk.