Cardinals draft receivers and DBs early, say latest seven-round mocks

The Arizona Cardinals have several needs to fill in the upcoming NFL Draft, and the latest seven-round mock drafts predict the Cards will address the wide receiver and defensive back positions early on.

The prognostications come amid talk that the Cardinals could select a quarterback with the No. 13 overall pick, but the latest full mocks from CBS, NFL.com and Fox Sports all have the Cardinals taking a quarterback after the first round or even not at all.

Recent mock drafts have swung in the direction of Arizona selecting Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But as of Thursday, these pundits say otherwise:

CBS Sports

1. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
2. Malik McDowell, DE, Michigan State
3. Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
4. Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami
5. James Conner, RB, Pitt
5. Elijah Lee, LB, Kansas State
6. [Traded to Cleveland]
7. Johnathan Ford, S, Auburn

As many others have already, CBS predicted Clemson wideout Mike Williams going to the Cardinals in the first round. Though Cards head coach Bruce Arians said getting a wide receiver first isn’t necessary, the consensus between all three of these seven-round mocks is that the Cardinals should at least get a receiver sooner than later.

The Cardinals are already without the embattled Michael Floyd, and losing Larry Fitzgerald to retirement isn’t a matter of “if,” but “when.” Then, when adding John Brown’s health issues into the mix, taking a wide receiver could be a good pick.

Arizona has also been tied to quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson and the aforementioned Mahomes, but CBS figures Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya will go to Arizona. In his junior season last year, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound QB completed 62 percent of his passes and threw for over 3500 yards as the Hurricanes finished second in the ACC.

NFL.com

1. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
2. Davis Webb, QB, Cal
3. Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
4. Trey Hendrickson, DE, Florida Atlantic
5. Danny Isidora, G, Miami
5. Toby Baker, P, Arkansas
6. Michael Roberts, TE, Toledo
7. Johnathan Ford, S, Auburn

The mock draft from NFL.com had the same players going to the Cardinals in both the first and seventh rounds as CBS. With the loss of defensive backs Marcus Cooper, Tony Jefferson and D.J. Swearinger, the Cardinals could be served well in getting a defensive back early.

In this mock, Florida cornerback Jalen ‘Teez’ Tabor heads to the desert. In three seasons with the Gators, Tabor played 37 games and made 104 tackles, eight interceptions for 129 yards and three touchdowns, and knocked down 28 pass attempts.

Arizona also addresses the quarterback situation in this hypothetical, doing so by taking Cal’s Davis Webb in the second round, 45th overall. Last year, Webb completed 61.6 percent of his passes, threw for more than 4,000 yards and put up 37 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in the pass-happy Pac-12.

And curiously, NFL.com sees the Cardinals using their compensatory fifth-round pick to get punter Toby Baker from Arkansas. Last year, Arizona had Drew Butler doing the punting duties, but they currently have Richie Leone and Matt Wile on the roster at that position.

Fox Sports

1. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
2. Quincy Wilson, DB, Florida
3. Mack Hollins, WR, North Carolina
4. John Johnson, S, Boston College
5. Ryan Switzer, WR, North Carolina
5. Isaac Asiata, G, Utah
6. Steven Taylor, LB, Houston
7. Josh Malone, WR, Tennessee

The most shocking part of this mock draft is that the Cardinals don’t take a quarterback at all. Though that’s certainly a possibility, it seems that finding the heir to the throne for 37-year-old Carson Palmer is of high priority.

Instead, Arizona takes tight end O.J. Howard in the first round here. The Alabama alumnus has been a popular name in the early rounds of mock drafts, but per ESPN, tight ends made up a mere 13 percent of the Cardinals’ pass targets last season, putting them in the bottom three in the NFL in that category. The infrequent use of tight ends and recent signing of Jermaine Gresham might mean that the Cardinals don’t take Howard, but you never know.

The Cardinals also take three wide receivers in this mock, which is probably a bit excessive given Arians’ comments on their need at that position.

All in all, mock drafts are simply the best guess of those who eagerly wait in suspense for the NFL Draft, which begins on April 27.

Follow @mattjlayman