ARIZONA CARDINALS

McShay: Cardinals’ best pick is cornerback Harlan Miller

May 2, 2016, 3:09 PM | Updated: 8:31 pm

Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Harlan Miller runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combi...

Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Harlan Miller runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Monday, Feb. 29, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

The Arizona Cardinals’ selection of Robert Nkemdiche seemed like a win-win for both the team and the player.

Nkemdiche landed on a team where draft prospects with off-field issues have thrived, and the Cardinals history of finding value in these players is noteworthy.

Those facts make Nkemdiche seem like a no-brainer for Arizona’s best pick in the draft, but ESPN’s Todd McShay disagrees.

I thought about putting Robert Nkemdiche here. I get why they took him in the first round, and as an organization, they’ve been good at handling players with baggage. But one thing that scares me off: Chandler Jones has had issues with synthetic marijuana, and now he’ll be in the same meeting room with Nkemdiche, who has had his own off-field problems.

Instead, McShay went with sixth-round selection Harlan Miller.

So I went with Miller, on whom we had a fourth-round grade — the Cardinals got him in the sixth. His combine performance scared off a lot of teams (4.65-second 40; 4.43 short shuttle), but some guys are better players than testers. With Tyrann Mathieu coming off injury and some other unanswered questions in the secondary, Miller is capable of making the roster and contributing, which is great for a sixth-rounder.

Miller will look to find ways of contributing as a hybrid defensive player, similar to the way Mathieu and Deone Bucannon did in their early years with the team.

Scouts Inc.’s Steve Muench listed the pros and cons of Miller as a football player.

A small-school prospect who stood out at the Senior Bowl, Miller has the ball skills and instincts to develop into a playmaker. He also shows good balance and body control transitioning in and of breaks on tape, but he didn’t test well at the scouting combine. There are concerns about his ability to make the jump from FCS SE Louisiana to the NFL, even though he played well in Mobile, Alabama. There’s also room for improvement when it comes to Miller’s ability to defend the run.

The Cardinals have had recent success in the sixth round.

2013 sixth-rounder Andre Ellington has made a major impact in Arizona’s backfield since being drafted and 2012 sixth-rounder Justin Bethel has made the Pro Bowl as a special teams player. Bethel is also expected to compete for the starting cornerback spot opposite of Patrick Peterson.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Jonah Williams pressure Sam Darnold...

Tyler Drake

Report: Free agent DL Jonah Williams visiting Arizona Cardinals this week

Defensive lineman Jonah Williams is visiting the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings this week, according to Aaron Wilson.

8 hours ago

Casita seating at the Arizona Cardinals' State Farm Stadium...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals’ new suite options at State Farm Stadium include casitas

The Arizona Cardinals on Monday announced new luxury seating options for 2024, including custom casita suites at State Farm Stadium.

12 hours ago

Justin Fields...

Associated Press

Quarterback carousel: Bears trade Justin Fields to Steelers to clear way for top pick

The Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night for draft compensation.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray...

Arizona Sports

Report: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s 2025 guarantees kick in

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray had nearly $30 million guaranteed for the 2025 season kick in by remaining on Arizona's roster by Saturday.

2 days ago

Paris Johnson Jr. celebrates with Kyler Murray...

Tyler Drake

Which side of the line will Cardinals’ Paris Johnson Jr. command in 2024?

Even before the Cardinals released D.J. Humphries, there was already talk of Paris Johnson Jr. making the switch from right to left.

3 days ago

Marvin Harrison Jr. celebrates...

Tyler Drake

Marvin Harrison Jr. wasn’t opposed to joining Arizona Cardinals in 2023

Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Arizona Cardinals in 2024? That's what Paris Johnson Jr. predicted soon after getting pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

3 days ago

McShay: Cardinals’ best pick is cornerback Harlan Miller