ARIZONA CARDINALS

NFL Mock Draft Tracker Week 5: Could Jaylen Waddle be in Cards’ future?

Feb 5, 2021, 5:33 PM

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)...

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

If you thought that acquiring DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans would fix all the Arizona Cardinals’ issues in 2020, well you were wrong.

Make no mistake about it, Hopkins was outstanding in his first year in Arizona, ranking second among all NFL wideouts in both receptions and yards. He wasn’t the problem. Depth was.

And considering that the franchise’s all-time leading receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, could be retiring this offseason, it’s entirely possible that the Cardinals will be hunting for a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Jaylen Waddle, anyone?

After sharing a lot of the spotlight with 2020 draftees Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy in Tuscaloosa, Waddle was primed to bust out this season. He did, catching 25 passes for 557 yards (22.3 yards per catch) in Alabama’s first four games of the year.

He was injured against Tennessee, suffering a broken ankle in October and missed the rest of the regular season as well as the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff win over Notre Dame. Waddle did return for the CFP Championship Game against Ohio State, caught three passes for 34 yards while looking far less than 100 percent.

Waddle subsequently announced he was forgoing his senior season and entering the draft, and his speed and big play ability would fit well in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.

Waddle appeared in two of the 18 mock drafts we’ve added to the tracker this week, showing up in projections from Athlon Sports’ Bryan Fischer and Matthew Tabeek of AtlantaFalcons.com.

Arizona Sports NFL Mock Draft Tracker

Date Outlet Author Mock Draft Cardinals pick at #16
Feb 5 The Spun Dan Lyons 2021 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Who Will The Jets, Dolphins, Falcons, Etc. Take? Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Feb 4 CBS Sports Josh Edwards 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Micah Parsons falls to New England, Saints grab Mac Jones to replace Drew Brees Levi Onwuzurike, DL, Washington
Feb 4 NFL.com Lance Zierlein Lance Zierlein 2021 NFL mock draft 1.0: Patriots, 49ers select QBs in Round 1 Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Georgia
Feb 4 AtlantaFalcons.com Matthew Tabeek Tabeek’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft 4.0: Falcons trade down, land do-it-all defender Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Feb 3 CBS Sports Chris Trapasso 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Panthers trade for Deshaun Watson and Texans go QB, Bengals pick Ja’Marr Chase Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Feb 2 Sporting News Vinnie Iyer NFL mock draft 2021: Deshaun Watson looms large for Jets, Dolphins; Cowboys, Patriots make luxury picks Alijah Vera-Tucker, G, USC
Feb 2 Pro Football Network Ryan Gosling Ryan Gosling’s First Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Detroit Lions trade up for Zach Wilson Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse
Feb 2 Action Network Scott Smith Scott Smith’s NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Trevor Lawrence, Then Who? Forecasting All 32 First-Round Picks Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Feb 2 Blue Chip Scouting Jared Feinberg FEINBERG’S 2021 NFL MOCK DRAFT 2.0: POST-SENIOR BOWL Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami, FL
Feb 2 Athlon Sports Bryan Fischer 2021 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Predictions (Updated) Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Feb 1 NFL.com Bucky Brooks Bucky Brooks 2021 NFL mock draft 1.0: Jets start new era at QB with Justin Fields DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Feb 1 CBS Sports Ryan Wilson 2021 NFL Mock Draft during Super Bowl 2021 week: Panthers target Senior Bowl QB, Lions get Jared Goff help Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Feb 1 Pro Football Focus Ben Linsey 2021 NFL Mock Draft: New York Jets acquire Deshaun Watson, Zach Wilson lands with the Houston Texans at No. 2 overall Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama
Feb 1 Bleacher Report Joe Tansey 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Pro Bowl Projections for 1st-Round Prospects Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Feb 1 For The Win Henry McKenna NFL Mock Draft: How the Matthew Stafford trade changes the landscape Wyatt Davis, OL, Ohio State
Feb 1 NBC Sports Boston Phil Perry 2021 NFL Mock Draft: How might Patriots build around Jimmy Garoppolo? Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
Feb 1 Akron Beacon Joural Dan Kadar 2021 NFL mock draft: Shake out from the Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff trade Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Feb 1 Pro Football Network AJ Schulte Schulte’s 7-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
Jan 28 USA Today Nate Davis NFL mock draft 2021: What might happen if New York Jets don’t take quarterback at No. 2 Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Jan 28 Fox Sports Jason McIntyre NFL Mock Draft 6.0 DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Jan 28 CBS Sports Josh Edwards 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Lions, Falcons trade up after Panthers acquire Matthew Stafford Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Jan 28 AtlantaFalcons.com Matthew Tabeek Tabeek’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Georgia native comes home to Falcons, five QBs go in top 10 Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Jan 28 Walter Football Walter Cherepinsky 2021 NFL Mock Draft Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Jan 27 CBS Sports Chris Trapasso 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Matthew Stafford traded to Washington as Lions rebuild, Eagles take QB Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Jan 27 Pro Football Network Tommy Garrett Garrett’s First Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 27 San Diego Union-Tribune Eddie Brown 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Two rounds! Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 26 ESPN.com Mel Kiper Jr. NFL mock draft 2021: Mel Kiper’s predictions for all 32 first-round picks, including Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, DeVonta Smith Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Jan 26 Radio.com Tim Kelly 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Full first-round preview ahead of Super Bowl LV Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 26 The Big Lead Ryan Phillips 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Trevor Lawrence Leads Four First-Round Quarterbacks Jaelen Phillips, Edge, Miami, FL
Jan 26 CBS Sports Ryan Wilson 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Lions replace Matthew Stafford, Broncos also grab QB, 49ers land best receiver in class Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 26 The Draft Network Jordan Reid Reid’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft 5.1 Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 25 Newsday Nick Klopsis 2021 NFL mock draft 1.3: The first 30 picks Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
Jan 25 SI NFL Draft Fan Nation Ric Serritella Monday Mock Draft: Three Rounds. Every NFL team’s picks through Day Two Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 25 Sportsnaut Matt Johnson 2021 NFL mock draft: Deshaun Watson traded in seismic deal, multiple QB trades shake up 2021 NFL Draft Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 25 Sporting News Vinnie Iyer NFL mock draft 2021: Justin Fields falls to Falcons after Jets skip QB; Packers, Bills fill holes on offense Alijah Vera-Tucker, G, USC
Jan 25 Lines.com Lance Cartelli 2021 NFL Mock Draft Kwity Payne, Edge, Michigan
Jan 25 Pro Football Focus Steve Palazzolo 2021 NFL Mock Draft: New York Jets get QB Zach Wilson at No. 2, Cincinnati Bengals land WR Ja’Marr Chase Jayson Oweh, Edge, Penn State
Jan 25 NJ.com Zack Rosenblatt NFL Draft 2021: Justin Fields or Zach Wilson to Jets; Ja’Marr Chase or DeVonta Smith to Eagles; Giants add piece on offense Kwity Payne, Edge, Michigan
Jan 25 NFL Mocks Branden Peplowski 2021 NFL Draft: Five QBs fly off of the board in first-round mock draft Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 25 NFL Spin Zone Randy Gurzi 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Dolphins take Sewell and Waddle, Bills keep building with Jaelan Phillips Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 23 Pro Football Network Oliver Hodgkinson Hodgkinson’s 4-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Jan 22 NFL.com Daniel Jeremiah Daniel Jeremiah 2021 NFL mock draft 1.0: Zach Wilson to Jets Jaelen Phillips, Edge, Miami,FL
Jan 22 Baltimore Sun C.J. Doon 2021 NFL mock draft (Version 2.0): First-round projections ahead of conference championship weekend Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 22 AtlantaFalcons.com Matthew Tabeek Tabeek’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Jets trade for Deshaun Watson, Falcons secure future at QB Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Jan 22 Stanford Daily Shan Reddy Reddy’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 22 Walter Football Charlie Campbell 2021 NFL Mock Draft – Charlie Campbell Kwity Payne, Edge, Michigan
Jan 22 Drafttek Staff 2021 NFL Mock Draft Revision #13-B Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma
Jan 21 CBS Sports Josh Edwards 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Jets acquire Deshaun Watson, trade Sam Darnold to the NFC Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 21 The Draft Network Benjamin Solak Solak 2021 NFL Mock Draft 1.2 Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 20 CBS Sports Chris Trapasso 2021 NFL Mock Draft: How the first round unfolds if Jets trade for Deshaun Watson Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
Jan 20 Pro Football Network Zach Segars Segars’ First Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Jan 20 Walter Football Walter Cherepinsky 2021 NFL Mock Draft Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 20 San Diego Union-Tribune Eddie Brown 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Two rounds! Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Jan 19 CBS Sports Ryan Wilson 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Steelers, Panthers trade up for QBs as five go off the board in first 10 picks Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami, FL
Jan 19 Athlon Sports Bryan Fischer 2021 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Predictions (Updated) Kwity Payne, Edge, Michigan
Jan 19 College Football News Pete Fiutak 2021 NFL Mock Draft, Team Needs: College Football Perspective, January Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami, FL
Jan 18 CBS Sports Chris Trapasso 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Texans trade Deshaun Watson to Dolphins and take Zach Wilson, Saints go receiver Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 18 Sporting News Vinnie Iyer NFL mock draft 2021: Justin Fields falls to Falcons after Jets skip QB; Saints, Browns get consolation prizes Alijah Vera-Tucker, G, USC
Jan 18 Pro Football Network Matthew Valdovinos Valdovinos’ 3-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami, FL
Jan 18 Akron Beacon-Journal Dan Kadar 2021 NFL mock draft: Trevor Lawrence is the obvious No. 1 pick Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 18 Draft Kings Collin Sherwin and David Fucillo Trevor Lawrence one of three QBs in top 10 of 2021 NFL mock draft following Divisional round Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Jan 18 NJ.com Chris Franklin NFL 2021 Draft: Jets’ big decision at No. 2; Eagles eye DeVonta Smith or Ja’Marr Chase; Justin Fields sliding | Full 1st-round mock projection Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 18 NFL Spin Zone Cody Williams 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Bears, Falcons, 49ers all join QB rat race Joseph Ossai, Edge, Texas
Jan 17 Drafttek Staff 2021 NFL Mock Draft Revision #13-A Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma
Jan 14 San Diego Union-Tribune Eddie Brown 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Two rounds! Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 14 NBC Sports Chicago Glynn Morgan 2021 NFL Mock Draft 18.0: Mac Jones shoots up draft, Justin Fields falls Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 14 Jaguars.com John Oehser Mock Draft 1.0: The Jaguars “select…” Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Jan 13 Walter Football Charlie Campbell 2021 NFL Mock Draft – Campbell Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Jan 13 CBS Sports Chris Trapasso 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Texans trade Deshaun Watson to Dolphins, Houston picks Zach Wilson at No. 3 overall Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 13 Pro Football Network Ben Rolfe Rolfe’s First-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Jayson Oweh, Edge, Penn State
Jan 13 Walter Football Walter Cherepinsky 2021 NFL Mock Draft Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 12 CBS Sports Ryan Wilson 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Patriots land QB, Dolphins add two Alabama stars to help Tua Tagovailoa Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
Jan 12 The Athletic Dane Brugler Two-round 2021 NFL mock draft: Four QBs early, DeVonta Smith reunites with Tua Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 12 Sporting News Vinnie Iyer NFL mock draft 2021: Projecting where Alabama, Ohio State players will land in first round Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 11 CBS Sports Chris Trapasso 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Seven receivers go in Round 1, Broncos pick Kwity Paye to replace Von Miller Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC
Jan 11 Pro Football Focus Anthony Treash 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Dolphins select QB Justin Fields with Pick No. 3, 49ers send Pick No. 12 to Miami for QB Tua Tagovailoa Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Jan 11 Bleacher Report Joseph Zucker NFL Mock Draft 2021: Post-CFP Championship Predictions for 1st-Round Prospects Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Jan 11 NJ.com Mike Kaye NFL Draft 2021: Justin Fields or Penei Sewell No. 2 to Jets? Ja’Marr Chase or DeVonta Smith to Eagles? 3 QBs in top 5 Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
Jan 10 The Draft Network Brentley Weissman Weissman’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Jan 10 Pro Football Network Ian Cummings Cummings’ 3-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 8 Pro Football Network Jarrett Bailey Bailey’s First-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft Kwity Payne, Edge, Michigan
Jan 8 The Spun Dan Lyons 2021 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Who Will The Jaguars, Jets, Dolphins, Etc. Take? Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 8 Drafttek Staff 2021 NFL Mock Draft Revision #12-B Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 7 The Draft Network Joe Marino Marino’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft 4.2 Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 7 ESPN Todd McShay NFL mock draft 2021: Todd McShay’s predictions for all 32 first-round picks following the regular season Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Jan 7 Fox Sports Jason McIntyre NFL Mock Draft 5.0 Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Jan 7 NBC Sports Chicago Glynn Morgan 2021 NFL Mock Draft 17.0: Justin Fields falls, Bears don’t pick QB Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
Jan 7 CBS Sports Josh Edwards 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Quarterbacks taken with first four picks after two teams trade up Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Jan 7 San Diego Union-Tribune Eddie Brown 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Two-round projections Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 6 CBS Sports Chris Trapasso 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Broncos pick Kwity Paye to replace Von Miller, seven receivers go in Round 1 Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC
Jan 5 CBS Sports Ryan Wilson 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Dolphins take QB after Tua continues to struggle, Eagles use No. 6 pick on receiver Jayson Oweh, Edge, Penn State
Jan 5 Athlon Sports Bryan Fischer 2021 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Predictions Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jan 5 USA Today Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz NFL mock draft 2021: Justin Fields, Zach Wilson among five QBs in first-round projection Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Jan 4 Newsday Nick Klopsis 2021 NFL mock draft 1.0: The first 18 picks Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
Jan 4 SB Nation James Dator 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Complete first round Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC
Jan 4 Pro Football Focus Michael Renner 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Jets settle on Zach Wilson, 49ers move up for Justin Fields Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

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