Arizona Cardinals draft picks still on roster ahead of 2022 selections

The Arizona Cardinals have 21 players whom they’ve drafted remaining on the roster ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday.

Eighteen of the 21 are from the past three classes, including 2019 supplemental draft pick safety Jalen Thompson.

Left tackle D.J. Humphries and edge rusher Markus Golden were taken in 2015 — Golden left in free agency in 2019 and was reacquired in a trade in 2020 — and safety Budda Baker was a 2017 selection. The Cardinals traded for the pick that landed Baker.

In the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams have 30 of their own drafted players remaining despite not picking in the first round since 2016. The Seattle Seahawks have 27 and the San Francisco 49ers 26.

The Cardinals have a chance to bolster their home-grown talent Thursday with their first of eight picks. They start with the No. 23 selection.

Here are the current Cardinals on the roster whom the organization took on draft day:

Offense

QB: Kyler Murray (2019, 1st round)

RB: Eno Benjamin (2020, 7th round)

WR: Andy Isabella (2019, 2nd round), Rondale Moore (2021, 2nd round)

OL: D.J. Humphries (2015, 1st round), Joshua Miles (2019, 7th round), Josh Jones (2020, 3rd round)

Murray was the first overall pick in 2019, a prospect the Cardinals felt was worthy of hitting reset at quarterback a year after taking Josh Rosen No. 10.

The young quarterback has since made two Pro Bowls and won the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. He led the Cardinals to the playoffs for the first time since 2015 last season and is looking for a contract extension this offseason.

Humphries has started 16 games in each of the last three seasons at left tackle and made the Pro Bowl last year. He is Arizona’s longest tenured player.

The Cardinals recently lost two playmakers from their 2018 draft class in free agency: Wide receiver Christian Kirk and running back Chase Edmonds.

Defense

DL: Zach Allen (2019, 3rd round), Michael Dogbe (2019, 7th round), Leki Fotu (2020, 4th round), Rashard Lawrence (2020, 4th round)

LB: Markus Golden (2015, 2nd round), Isaiah Simmons (2020, 1st round), Zaven Collins (2021, 1st round), Victor Dimukeje (2021, 6th round)

CB: Byron Murphy Jr. (2019, 2nd round), Marco Wilson (2021, 4th round)

S: Budda Baker (2017, 2nd round), Deionte Thompson (2019, 5th round), Jalen Thompson (2019 supplemental, 5th round), James Wiggins (2021, 7th round)

Baker is the highlight on this list, as he is the only Cardinals remaining draft selection who made an All-Pro first team (2020). The former Washington Husky is a team captain and four-time Pro Bowler.

Golden led the Cardinals with 11 sacks last year and will be leaned on in 2022 with Chandler Jones departing in free agency. The Cardinals traded a sixth-round pick to bring back Golden, who spent a 1.5 seasons with the New York Giants.

Murphy Jr. has 39 starts to lead the rest of the field. He caught four interceptions and had 12 passes defensed to lead the squad in 2021 and has been an effective slot corner for Arizona.

Simmons and Collins were the Cardinals’ most recent first-rounders, a tandem expected to have greater roles in 2022.

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