ESPN: Rookie Mason Cole a draft steal for the Arizona Cardinals

It’s safe to say the latest installment of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line was a disappointment in 2018.

While it’s no surprise the O-line is in dire need of a revamping, there was one positive that shined through the trenches for Arizona in rookie Mason Cole.

ESPN took notice as the lineman cracked the list of top draft steals.

The Cardinals’ offensive line play as a whole in 2018 was underwhelming at best and downright atrocious at worst, so the Michigan product likely will want to forget his rookie campaign in a hurry and instead focus on a sophomore campaign that will be commanded by a completely new coaching staff. If there are any positives that can be spun from a season that earned the team the first overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft, it’s that Cole was the only offensive lineman to play 100 percent of his team’s offensive snaps. It’s also worth noting that Cole spent the vast majority of his collegiate snaps at left tackle, so some struggles at center in his first year as a pro should have been expected.

With an offensive line carousel, the one constant was the third round pick (No. 76) out of Michigan.

He was throw into the fray sooner than some may have liked, taking over the starting center position after the team lost projected starter A.Q. Shipley to an ACL tear before the regular season.

And while there were some growing pains, Cole showed off his durability, starting all 16 games and playing a total of 942 snaps. D.J. Humphries had the second most O-line snaps with 522.

As a whole, the offensive line is one of the biggest needs for the Cardinals, who are looking to turn the page with a new coaching staff.

Looking at the rest of the NFC West, Rams offensive lineman Joseph Noteboom, 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens and Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford also made the list.

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