Sports Illustrated grades Cardinals’ draft as middle-of-the-road

May 11, 2014, 5:10 PM | Updated: May 12, 2014, 7:44 pm

The first NFL Draft grades are starting to trickle out after its conclusion on Saturday, and one publication rated the Arizona Cardinals’ draft as the third-best in the NFC West.

Sports Illustrated released team-by-team grades on Sunday, and while the Cardinals earned a ‘B,’ they still didn’t place in the top-half of their vaunted division.

The St. Louis Rams earned an A-minus, while the San Francisco 49ers earned a B-plus. The only NFC West team that SI rated behind the Cardinals is the defending world champion Seattle Seahawks, who earned a B-minus grade.

Here’s what SI had to say about the Cardinals’ draft, which addressed most of the team’s needs — including quarterback, safety and defensive front-seven depth:

One thing is for sure — if you’re a receiver and you’re facing Arizona’s defense, keep your head on a swivel. Between second-year safety Tyrann Mathieu and 2014 first-rounder Deone Bucannon from Washington State, the Cardinals are looking to scare enemy offenses with their safeties. Bucannon plays at full speed and with killer intensity at all times, and if he ever finds his sense of direction, he’s going to be even more dangerous.

Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas is a big blocker and burgeoning receiver who will take time to develop. North Carolina end Kareem Martin is a huge (6-foot-6, 272) defender who could back up Calais Campbell. Pittsburg State receiver John Brown will help take the top off enemy defenses. Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas is a developmental prospect who might find his way at another position and Murray State receiver Walter Powell is a smaller slot man. Overall, the Cards added some targets and got meaner in the defensive backfield; two musts as they try to move atop the NFC West.

Much of the success of this draft class may hinge on the development of fourth-round pick Logan Thomas, a quarterback out of Virginia Tech. Thomas has physical tools that are off-the-charts, and could become a game-changing quarterback in the NFL.

But Thomas could also never take a snap at the next level. First-round pick Deone Bucannon should see immediate playing time at safety, and tight end Troy Niklas, defensive end Kareem Martin and Thomas all represent players with huge upside.

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Sixth round, 196th overall
Walt Powell, Wide Receiver, Murray State
2013 stats: 66 receptions, 837 yards, 13 touchdowns; 11 kick returns for 346 yards and one touchdown.
"I think they liked my ability to make guys miss," Powell said of why the Cardinals picked him, "and my ability to just catch the ball and get straight upfield and to just be a playmaker."

Fifth round, 16th overall
Ed Stinson, Defensive End, Alabama
2013 stats: 42 tackles (18 solo), one fumble recovery, 1.5 sacks
"We had to make sure we played the blocks right, so that's what I did; played the blocks right and then convert afterwards," Stinson said of his role at Alabama. "A lot of teams didn't really get to see my pass rushing ability."

Fourth round, 120th overall
Logan Thomas, Quarterback, Virginia Tech
2013 stats: 2,907 yards with 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions; 344 yards and four touchdowns via the ground
"It just felt right from the first time meeting coach Arians and Coach Kitchens," Thomas said when asked why he wanted to come to AZ. "It just felt right from the very beginning and I'm very excited about it."

Third round, 91st overall
John Brown, Wide Receiver, Pittsburg State
2013 stats: 61 catches, 1,198 yards, 14 touchdowns as WR; averaged 32.42 yards per kick return and 11.48 yards per punt return
"Coming from a small school and then you produce good, but it's just...If people really want you, they'll find you," Brown said when asked if it ever seemed like the NFL was just a dream that would never happen. "I learned that [Friday], just by these guys believing in me and bringing me in."

Third round, 84th overall
Kareem Martin, defensive end, North Carolina
2013 stats: 82 tackles (46 solo), 11.5 sacks
"They're a veteran defense," Martin said when asked about joining a team that had success last year. "I'm going to a defensive line with some great names -- guys like Darnell Dockett. I'm just hoping to come in and learn from those guys just how to be a pro."

Second round, 52nd overall
Troy Niklas, Tight End, Notre Dame
2013 stats: 32 receptions, 498 yards, five touchdowns
"I think I'm a pretty good pass catcher," Niklas said about being better than people might think. "If you watch any games, I'm pretty good at getting open, I'm pretty good up the seam, one on one with mike linebackers, wheel route, I can run that; very good at running routes off of mike and middle linebackers."

First round, 27th overall
Deone Bucannon, Safety, Washington State
2013 stats: 114 tackles (78 solo), six interceptions, two fumble recoveries
"How I respond to it is everybody has their own opinion," Bucannon said when asked about criticism of his coverage ability. "Everybody thinks they know about different things. I could throw out all my stats right now, but that's not going to help anybody. That's not going to make you guys believe anymore."

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