ESPN: Arizona Cardinals rank near bottom of NFL in under-25 talent

The Arizona Cardinals made a splash in the 2018 NFL Draft, highlighted by the selections of quarterback Josh Rosen and wide receiver Christian Kirk.

But how did their draft-day acquisitions move the needle of their young core?

According to ESPN, not much.

In terms of under-25 talent, the Cardinals came in at No. 28, up just three spots from No. 31 in 2017.

One reason for the low ranking is the situation surrounding the signal-caller position.

Arizona is a hard team to rank since quarterback Josh Rosen would typically give the team a big boost, but Sam Bradford is expected to start in Week 1. Of course, Bradford seasons rarely last long, so we may see Rosen this year under center, but the projection was based on him being a backup as a rookie.

Although question marks loom with how long projected starter Sam Bradford can remain upright, it’s his job to lose.

Injury concerns limit expectations for Bradford.

The QB has only played two full seasons in his eight-year career.

Although when he can stay healthy, Bradford has shown he can throw the rock with the best of them.

In 2016, Bradford started 15 games and posted a league-leading 71.6 completion percentage to go with a 99.3 passer rating. He threw for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns and had just five interceptions.

That doesn’t mean, however, Rosen is just sitting in the wings.

The quarterback out of UCLA has turned heads so far in the offseason.

During mandatory mini-camp in June, Cornerback Patrick Peterson’s mind was blown with the way Rosen controlled the offense so soon after joining the team.

Wilks also echoed Peterson, saying the rookie had a “mindset of a vet.”

But what about the under-25 guys catching the ball?

Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones made a few plays last season and could be featured at a position that has been hard to fill in Arizona for a long time. Second-round rookie wide receiver Christian Kirk has a good shot to be the team’s leading receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald after the departure of John Brown.

Ricky Seals-Jones made an impact for the Cardinals in Week 11 against the Houston Texans, his first appearance with the team.

The tight end worked well with former quarterback Blaine Gabbert — who was also making his first appearance with Arizona — ending with three receptions for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

Another name to watch is rookie running back Chase Edmonds.

“I’m built for the underdog role,” Edmonds said. “I’ve been playing the underdog role my whole life.”

Considered a sleeper among the high-profile names selected ahead of him, Edmonds could carve out a nice role as the compliment back to starter David Johnson.

Edmonds rushed for over 1,600 yards in his first three seasons with Fordham, totaling 5,862 in a four-year span. He was used in the receiving game as well, reeling in 86 catches for 905 yards and seven touchdowns.

Looking at the defense, safety Budda Baker is coming off a solid rookie year, while linebacker Haason Reddick is in line for added work in 2018.

Leading the way are the team’s young defenders in linebacker Haason Reddick and safety Budda Baker. The latter actually earned first-team All-Pro status for his work on special teams last season, but his role in 2018 could be streamlined to focus more on safety, where he ranked 68th in adjusted success rate in coverage.

Baker was utilized on both special teams and defense, causing issues for opposing squads. With 74 tackles on the year, he was the fourth-leading tackler on the team and also recorded a sack and forced two fumbles on defense. On special teams, he posted a league-leading 13 stops.

After being moved around in 2017, Reddick is expected to take a step forward this season.

“He worried about not making a mistake too much,” linebackers coach Larry Foote said of Reddick’s 2017 season. “Which is a good thing because he cares. Now it’s time to comfortably get with the defense and just play.”

Reddick posted 36 tackles and 2.5 sacks with the Cardinals last year.

Robert Nkemdiche also factored into the poor ranking.

Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche has not lived up to the hype in his first two seasons. He is not guaranteed a starting role and is still looking for his first NFL sack.

With two seasons under his belt and just 12 tackles, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and zero sacks in 17 games (no starts), Nkemdiche has struggled to find his place in Arizona’s defense.

Wilks’ shift to a 4-3 alignment could help Nkemdiche find his footing in 2018 as he will be able to play his natural position as a three-technique tackle.

Follow @Tdrake4sports