My Cardinals mock draft for this year is now over, and I thought I would gather my final verdict in a post of its own to not make confusions with too many seperate posts in the same thread. I have put all the selections and thoughts behind them together in a consecutively story: https://www.arizonasportsfans.com/forum/threads/gandhi-mock-draft.594769/
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#16 – Mykel Williams, edge rusher, Georgia
#44 – Donovan Jackson, offensive guard, Ohio State
#82 – Deone Walker, defensive tackle, Kentucky
#115 – Denzel Burke, cornerback, Ohio State
#171 – Que Robinson, linebacker, Alabama
#225 – KeAndre Lambert-Smith, wide receiver, Auburn
#240 – Myles Hinton, offensive tackle, Michigan
As I have noted several times, my strategy was to go after the players with the biggest potential. I think that the roster is solid and with a fairly high floor level (the belly, as Ossenfort would say), but they lack the difference makers.
I think that Mykel Williams can be a star in the NFL. To understand him and his potential, it is necessary to understand that he played hurt last season (60% by his own evaluation), and that he was not deployed in a way where he could show his biggest strengths. In fact, he only lined up outside the tackle on 54% of all his defensive snaps. Further, players don’t get big stats in Kirby Smarts defenses at Georgia. Just going by their last season in college, none of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt (all first-round picks), or Jalon Walker have had big statistical seasons.
One note: James Pearce is one of the most fascinating players in this draft for me, and I can understand if some of you would have wanted him in the first round. Not long before the game started, I took him off the Cards board completely, because the rumors of character concerns started floating. Obviously, we don’t know what is right or wrong, and for that reason it was easier to just remove him. Then I did not risk anything. However, everyone can see the talent and read the production numbers. If he is the pick at #16, it obviously means that Ossenfort and Gannon have been fine with his mindset, and that would excite me a lot. He is probably one of the biggest boom-or-bust prospects, but if he booms he can change a franchise. In Gannon’s scheme he can be a 15+ sack artist if everything goes right. So, I get it if you wanted me to take him.
Donovan Jackson is probably the outlier in this class from the main strategy, as he is more of a “safe” pick. However, if he makes life easier for Kyler Murray, you could argue that this pick was still about shooting for the stars.
Deone Walker and Denzel Burke could both be absolute studs. I think they are getting a little too much criticism than what is justified. I think it is because they both were considered surefire first-round picks before the season, but neither played up to expectations, and then the draft world just overreacts to that. At least that is how I see it. The reality is that Burke played well most of the season, even though it was not to the level of his wild 2023 campaign. Walker played all season with a broken back. I have heard several current and former GMs say that if a player has shown great things once, then they can do it again with quality coaching. My point is that maybe Walker and Burke will never get back to being dominant, but there is also a world where they do, and then the Cards have two franchise cornerstones on their hand.
All the last three picks were based on potential. Sure, they have all put out some quality tape, but I expect them to take at least one step up in the future. Both Robinson (special teams) and Lambert-Smith (deep threat) have specific roles already as rookies, but all three have the foundational traits to be even bigger contributors.
All in all, yes, there is the risk that this draft class will be a massive failure, but the potential is sky-high, and that was what I aimed for. Some years, because there are a lot of days between the starts of this game and the end, what I perceive as the best from the beginning, might not be what I think in the end. This time it is not that way. I mean, it is fair to argue that it would have been better with Derrick Harmon in the first (I watched him again yesterday, and have moved him ahead of Grant on the overall board – Grant is still #1 on the Cards board), and then come back with Josaiah Stewart or Femi Oladejo in the third, but other than that, I don’t see what could have made the class better.
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#16 – Mykel Williams, edge rusher, Georgia
#44 – Donovan Jackson, offensive guard, Ohio State
#82 – Deone Walker, defensive tackle, Kentucky
#115 – Denzel Burke, cornerback, Ohio State
#171 – Que Robinson, linebacker, Alabama
#225 – KeAndre Lambert-Smith, wide receiver, Auburn
#240 – Myles Hinton, offensive tackle, Michigan
As I have noted several times, my strategy was to go after the players with the biggest potential. I think that the roster is solid and with a fairly high floor level (the belly, as Ossenfort would say), but they lack the difference makers.
I think that Mykel Williams can be a star in the NFL. To understand him and his potential, it is necessary to understand that he played hurt last season (60% by his own evaluation), and that he was not deployed in a way where he could show his biggest strengths. In fact, he only lined up outside the tackle on 54% of all his defensive snaps. Further, players don’t get big stats in Kirby Smarts defenses at Georgia. Just going by their last season in college, none of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt (all first-round picks), or Jalon Walker have had big statistical seasons.
One note: James Pearce is one of the most fascinating players in this draft for me, and I can understand if some of you would have wanted him in the first round. Not long before the game started, I took him off the Cards board completely, because the rumors of character concerns started floating. Obviously, we don’t know what is right or wrong, and for that reason it was easier to just remove him. Then I did not risk anything. However, everyone can see the talent and read the production numbers. If he is the pick at #16, it obviously means that Ossenfort and Gannon have been fine with his mindset, and that would excite me a lot. He is probably one of the biggest boom-or-bust prospects, but if he booms he can change a franchise. In Gannon’s scheme he can be a 15+ sack artist if everything goes right. So, I get it if you wanted me to take him.
Donovan Jackson is probably the outlier in this class from the main strategy, as he is more of a “safe” pick. However, if he makes life easier for Kyler Murray, you could argue that this pick was still about shooting for the stars.
Deone Walker and Denzel Burke could both be absolute studs. I think they are getting a little too much criticism than what is justified. I think it is because they both were considered surefire first-round picks before the season, but neither played up to expectations, and then the draft world just overreacts to that. At least that is how I see it. The reality is that Burke played well most of the season, even though it was not to the level of his wild 2023 campaign. Walker played all season with a broken back. I have heard several current and former GMs say that if a player has shown great things once, then they can do it again with quality coaching. My point is that maybe Walker and Burke will never get back to being dominant, but there is also a world where they do, and then the Cards have two franchise cornerstones on their hand.
All the last three picks were based on potential. Sure, they have all put out some quality tape, but I expect them to take at least one step up in the future. Both Robinson (special teams) and Lambert-Smith (deep threat) have specific roles already as rookies, but all three have the foundational traits to be even bigger contributors.
All in all, yes, there is the risk that this draft class will be a massive failure, but the potential is sky-high, and that was what I aimed for. Some years, because there are a lot of days between the starts of this game and the end, what I perceive as the best from the beginning, might not be what I think in the end. This time it is not that way. I mean, it is fair to argue that it would have been better with Derrick Harmon in the first (I watched him again yesterday, and have moved him ahead of Grant on the overall board – Grant is still #1 on the Cards board), and then come back with Josaiah Stewart or Femi Oladejo in the third, but other than that, I don’t see what could have made the class better.
I just think that Robinson is close to a perfect day three pick. Big upside and a special teams stud right away.
