The 2025 NFL Draft Combine this week is the next big step in draft prep, and with 329 players invited, there are a whole lot of names, numbers and evaluations to filter through.
While the Arizona Cardinals likely won’t get to all of them this week, there is no shortage of intriguing prospects given the multiple needs — interior defensive and offensive line, pass rusher, deep receiving threat — on the roster.
A look at the players I’m watching this week who could help move the needle for Arizona and their potential pathway to the Cardinals come April:
Stick and pick
The Cardinals sticking and picking at No. 16 overall is the general consensus many have for the franchise this mock draft season. Of the 83 entries on the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker, only two have the Cardinals dealing their first-rounder.
One name being linked more than most to the Cardinals’ No. 16 pick is Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker.
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The versatile linebacker proved he could make an impact playing both inside and out across the last three years.
His final season at Georgia was his best behind 6.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and two passes defensed in 14 games played. He posted 249 snaps on the edge and 311 in the box, according to Pro Football Focus.
Walker’s production, versatility and leadership traits have him ranked sixth in NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s updated top 50 prospects list released Monday.
As we’ve seen with Zaven Collins, who was extended last training camp after making the transition from MIKE backer to edge rusher, the Cardinals love added versatility in the pass-rushing rotation.
Another defender to watch at No. 16 is Marshall edge rusher Mike Green.
After amassing 17 sacks, 23 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles across 13 games, Green doubled down with a strong Senior Bowl showing last month.
His stock has risen since that week in Mobile, Alabama, too, with Jeremiah moving the edge rusher up six spots as his No. 17 ranked prospect.
Either Walker or Green would give the Cardinals a much-needed addition to the outside linebackers room to pair alongside Collins, BJ Ojulari, Xavier Thomas and whomever else Arizona brings into the room via free agency or trade.
Rounding out the potential stick-and-pick options is Alabama guard Tyler Booker.
While the Cardinals need defensive line and pass-rushing help, Arizona’s guard options are limited with a pair of starters in Will Hernandez and Evan Brown hitting free agency this offseason. That leaves youngsters Isaiah Adams and Jon Gaines II as the next men up at both guard spots.
Re-signing Brown and/or Hernandez (depending on his health status) are two very real options for Arizona this offseason, but bringing in a young mauler could benefit the run-heavy offense now and into the future.
And as ESPN’s Mel Kiper said in his first mock draft of the offseason, Booker is up there as the best pure guard in the class.
Trade-down targets
I think the Cardinals would move off the No. 16 pick if they could.
General manager Monti Ossenfort covets draft capital and adding more to the arsenal — Arizona currently has six picks this year — might be the most appealing move to make.
Aside from that fact, there are plenty of potential need-filling trade-down targets the Cardinals could come back around and nab.
The big name to watch here is Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
James Pearce with the TFL, the strip sack and the pick six. All in the same game.
aka the Julius Peppers hat trick pic.twitter.com/GsnrNlr28V
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 19, 2024
While Pearce has been linked to the Cardinals the most on the Arizona Sports mock draft tracker, he has fallen on some analyst’s big boards. The words “character issues” have reportedly been associated to the young defender.
Pearce also saw a dip in production, recording 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss after posting 10 and 15, respectively, in 2023.
“We’ll see what happens with Pearce,” Jeremiah said on his Move the Sticks Podcast last week. “Teams get a chance to visit with him and see how they are with him, but he’s somebody that’s definitely a dynamic talent. That’s all going to shake out in the wash.”
Jeremiah has Pearce as his 21st ranked prospect but left him off his most recent mock draft.
Draft analyst Dane Brugler, who also has the Tennessee defender as his 21st ranked prospect, added on The Athletic Football Show that Pearce has the talent to go in the first 15 picks, but it wouldn’t be a huge shock if he fell to the second round.
“Teams just want to be convinced that they know who you are,” Brugler said. “They want to understand what makes you tick. Right now, that’s a big question mark with Pearce.”
A strong showing on and off the field in Mobile could clear things up for the edge rusher.
The same goes for Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen.
Another Senior Bowl standout, Nolen racked up 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in his lone season at Ole Miss after transferring from Texas A&M.
“Some of the feedback from the team to scouts was positive from Ole Miss,” Brugler said. “A lot more positive than what Texas A&M was saying. He’s still a guy they haven’t figured out 100% yet but he did a nice job at the Senior Bowl and I think there’s some optimism there.”
Rounding out the trade-down candidates are Michigan’s Kenneth Grant and Oregon’s Derrick Harmon.
Grant is coming off 3.0 sacks and seven tackles for loss, while Harmon registered 5.0 sacks and 11 TFLs.
Both have been mocked numerous times to the Cardinals’ No. 16 overall pick but could be reaches that high.
Move down to the late 20s, though, and either could make for strong additions.
THE Ohio State Cardinals
Ohio State (handshake emoji) Cardinals.
Since the new regime came aboard in 2023, adding Buckeyes has been a part of Ossenfort’s MO.
The Cardinals went out and added starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. with their 2023 first-rounder before doubling down on the college with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 pick last year.
And that’s before mentioning Arizona’s new offensive line coach Justin Frye, who just won the national championship with the Buckeyes.
Simply put, it would be negligent not to include a couple of Buckeyes on this list.
Their names? Josh Simmons and Donovan Jackson.
Simmons has gotten a lot of run as a late first-round option, though would likely be a trade-down target if the Cardinals opt to go that way.
Jackson on the other hand could be an early Day 2 option.
While Simmons figures to serve as a tackle at the next level, Jackson is trending toward being a guard.
“If you were scripting something and saying you could coach guys for a while, that’d be great,” Frye said during his introductory press conference when talking about the prospect of bringing more Ohio State prospects this year. “I’m just excited for those kids, because we had great kids there.
“To see those kids come out on top that way and now have a chance to go have their dreams come true and be pro football players. To see a bunch of those guys working out the combine and getting a chance to go do it, I’m just happy right now from a personal standpoint more than professional that they’re going to get to go do that because they did it the right way.”
Edge rushers in the second-round ‘sweet spot’
You don’t have to look far to understand the Cardinals need help in the pass-rushing department.
Posting one of the worst pass-rush win rates in the league last year (33%), using a first-round pick on an edge rusher wouldn’t be the worst move to make. Neither would looking at a second-round addition to the OLBs room.
As Jeremiah put it during his annual draft call with reporters, Arizona’s No. 47 pick is “a sweet spot” for adding one of three pass rushers in Jack Sawyer (Ohio State), Landon Jackson (Arkansas) and Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss).
“Jack Sawyer comes into the mix there and is kind of a real physical, rugged edge rusher who can also really set the edge. Landon Jackson from Arkansas had a monster Senior Bowl. He’s 6-foot-5 and change, 273 pounds. He can really rush with that long arm. He’s physical, he can close, he can run, he plays with effort. Those are a couple of guys.
“Then I would say Princely Umanmielen out of Ole Miss. He’s another one who popped at the Senior Bowl. Real long, bendy, athletic. He can really cover ground. Again, there’s no shortage of edge rushers, especially that’s kind of almost a sweet spot where I like that clump of players.”
Of the three, Sawyer presents the most intriguing prospect given his Ohio State ties and ability to impact the game in multiple ways.
In his final year at Ohio State, Sawyer recorded 9.0 sacks, nine tackles for loss, an interception, seven passes defensed and three forced fumbles. He also returned two fumble recoveries for touchdowns across 16 games.
Some local flavor at NFL Draft Combine
No, the Cardinals don’t necessarily need a running back at this moment in time.
Still, adding Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo could be a real coup for the Cardinals in more ways than one.
Fresh off his contract extension, James Conner is going to get first crack at running the rock in 2025. That being said, getting a full season of Conner has yet to happen across his eight-game career.
As for backup Trey Benson? He’s got a lot to prove after one year on the job.
At worst, bringing in Skattebo would provide depth and added competition to a position that is used regularly in offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s run-heavy scheme. And that’s before diving into the hype around the Valley that would come with Skattebo sticking around.
Other needs must be addressed before taking a chance on Skattebo, but it wouldn’t be the worst move to make by any means if the draft spot makes sense. A late Day 2 pick might be too expensive. Day 3, though, could be the right slotting for a guy Jeremiah said is a “shrunk-down James Conner.”
As for someone who makes a little more sense given Arizona’s current needs is Arizona Wildcats offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea.
With the ability to play both inside and out, Savaiinaea can fill a couple of needs depending on where the Cardinals think he fits best.
He could also be a Day 2 option for the Cardinals, allowing them the potential to shore up the other side of the line in the first round.
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