CARDINALS MOCK DRAFT GRADE A-

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AZ NEEDS A-

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Letter grade with a four-component score, written analysis, and a pick-by-pick breakdown for every selection in this saved mock.

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A-

Arizona Cardinals

Maye is the plan now, and the Cardinals grade out a A-.

by typicalbran · 2024 NFL Draft · 15 picks · 0 steals · 1 reaches
Value B-
Need B+
Trades A+
Future A+

After circling the position for what felt like forever, the Cardinals committed. Drake Maye is the quarterback now, and the roster gets built to his timeline. The board rewarded a patient, disciplined weekend with a A-.

They robbed the room blind at the table, and it lifts the grade on its own. With tight end and interior defensive lineman unsolved, spending premium capital on defensive back is the choice that costs them. A whole weekend of picks and tight end is somehow still a want.

A strong weekend's work, and a rare one to find this little fault with.

Pick-by-Pick

R1.6 · Pick 6 · Drake Maye · QB · rank 6
In the Round 1 slot they get a passer to set the clock by. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
R1.21 · Pick 21 · Dallas Turner · LB-EDGE · rank 24
In the 21st pick they get a double-digit-sack hope at fair value. Exactly the need they had to hit.
R2.2 · Pick 34 · Keon Coleman · WR · rank 38
A straight-up fair deal on Keon Coleman at slot 34, value and slot in agreement. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
R2.6 · Pick 38 · Kamari Lassiter · DB · rank 39
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Kamari Lassiter at defensive back with tight end and interior defensive lineman open.
R3.2 · Pick 66 · Jack Sawyer · DE-EDGE · rank 65
A market-rate edge rusher, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Jack Sawyer. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
R3.6 · Pick 70 · Braelon Allen · RB · rank 74
Braelon Allen at pick 70 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R3.22 · Pick 85 · Zak Zinter · OG · rank 81
A reasonable price with a little left over, Zak Zinter in the 85th overall pick. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R4.2 · Pick 102 · Graham Barton · OT · rank 100
Graham Barton in No. 102 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
R4.6 · Pick 106 · Tate Ratledge · OG · rank 107
Tate Ratledge at Round 4, Pick 6 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R4.33 · Pick 133 · Zach Frazier · C · rank 132
They paid sticker price for Zach Frazier in slot 133, and that is fine. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R5.3 · Pick 139 · Tyler Guyton · OT · rank 141
By-the-book stuff, Tyler Guyton at pick 139 squarely in line with his ranking. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R5.33 · Pick 169 · Gabriel Murphy · DL-EDGE · rank 168
No edge and no loss on Gabriel Murphy in the 169th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R6.23 · Pick 198 · Chau Smith-Wade · DB · rank 211
They paid up for Chau Smith-Wade at the Round 6 slot when waiting would have done the job. A fine player at a spot low on the priority list.
R7.3 · Pick 223 · Mario Williams · WR · rank 223
Mario Williams in pick No. 223 is fair value, right on his grade. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
R7.6 · Pick 226 · Omar Speights · LB · rank 221
Omar Speights in the 226th overall pick lands just on the right side of the ledger. A need, and now a little less of one.
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