Cardinals Flight Plan shows draft day dynamics in latest episode
Apr 26, 2018, 12:25 PM | Updated: 12:25 pm
On the eve of the 2018 NFL Draft, Arizona Cardinals fans got an inside look at what goes on in the war room as the picks start coming in.
During the sixth episode of “Cardinals Flight Plan,” The Cardinals weren’t shy in opening their doors and letting fans in on the draft process.
There’s even a seating chart to go by.
“We’re here in the war room, this is where it all happens, this is where we start building our 53-man roster — we’ll try to supplement through free agency — and it’s the most exciting time of the year for me,” Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said. “There’s always that anticipation of making the pick and getting closer and closer, whether you’re going to trade up, whether you’re going to stay tight, which four players are you going to consider, who you’re going to put in the bullpen.
According to Keim, as much as the draft can look hectic, it’s not entirely the case for the Cardinals.
“There’s so many mock drafts, every time you turn on ESPN or the NFL Network,” Keim said. “To some degree, you have to put on blinders and do what you think is right for the organization.”
With how much information they gather on players, the team hardly has a last-second decision when it comes down to their pick.
But that can all change when/if Arizona wants to move up, like they did last year with Budda Baker.
“You see the mock drafts and you see the prognosticators project where a player’s going to go, but there’s always surprises.”
A perfect example is Baker.
Coming into the draft, he was viewed very highly by the organization.
As the pick came closer and closer, the Cardinals decided to move on it.
In the process of drafting the safety, the Cardinals were on the phone quite a bit, calling and waiting on the Chicago Bears to agree to the trade and then waiting on the line with Baker until he was officially a Cardinal.
The reaction said it all as excitement and high-fives worked their way around the organization as Baker’s name was called.
“When you have the type of grades we had on Budda, we felt it was worth going up for him,” Keim said.
Listen in on all the action from the 2018 NFL Draft by tuning to 98.7 FM Arizona Sports Station.
