Running back most common outcome in recent mock drafts for Arizona Cardinals
Mar 25, 2015, 2:27 PM | Updated: 9:17 pm
The NFL Draft in Chicago is a little more than one month away, which means we’re in the home stretch of draft analysis and predictions.
Everybody and their brother will release at least one mock draft between now and April 30, and here at ArizonaSports.com, we’ll keep you up to date on the latest projections from the country’s foremost experts.
Since March 1, we’ve kept tabs on 48 separate mocks in our Mock Draft Tracker. It’s far from a consensus, but more experts have the Arizona Cardinals selecting a running back with the 24th pick than any other position.
Georgia running back Todd Gurley is the most common selection, showing up on eight different mock drafts this month. Wisconsin All-American Melvin Gordon appears on five.
The Cardinals do have a need at the RB position, and speculation is that they would be interested in Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson in a trade, although a lot of chips would have to fall into place for that to happen.
If those chips don’t fall, Arizona could dip into the deepest group of running backs to enter the draft in several years.
The most common defensive name to show up in draft projections at #24 for Arizona is Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead, who appears in six mock drafts. Armstead is an imposing physical figure, standing 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 292 pounds.
In all, 19 different players have been projected to the Cardinals in the 48 separate mock drafts in March.
Other names that show up more than once are LSU cornerback Jalen Collins, Kentucky edge rusher Alvin “Bud” Dupree, Wake Forest corner Kevin Johnson, Washington corner Marcus Peters, Virginia edge rusher Eli Harold, Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney, Florida State defensive lineman Eddie Goldman and UCLA defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa.