Mock draft pairs Cardinals with Arizona high school product Bijan Robinson
Oct 5, 2022, 11:33 AM
A mock draft based on reverse order of team odds to win the Super Bowl gives the Arizona Cardinals the No. 14 overall pick to address a variety of flaws in a team sitting at .500 through Week 4.
Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus has the Cardinals looking local and taking former Salpointe Catholic star and current Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the pick.
Robinson has been one of the most productive backs in college football, amassing 515 yards, 5.9 yards per carry and eight touchdowns through five games this season.
The Cardinals give quarterback Kyler Murray more help in the form of one of the best pass-catching backs we’ve seen in the PFF College era. Through five games this season, Robinson already has 10 catches for 188 yards and a score to go along with the most broken tackles in college football as a runner (40).
The pick is curious for a team that ranks in the top half of the league in rushing, last in the NFL in sacks and only has two interceptions as a team.
Not to mention the growing trend of teams picking running backs later in the draft.
In 2022, the first running back taken was Iowa State product Breece Hall by the New York Jets with pick No. 36.
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In 2021 the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars selected running backs with back-to-back picks in the first round, but it wasn’t until the 24th overall selection.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire was selected with the 32nd and final pick of the first round in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Choosing Robinson would not only buck the the trend of the NFL but would turn a blind eye to positions Arizona lack in depth.
Cornerbacks Kelee Ringo of Georgia, Tyrique Stevenson of Miami and Joey Porter Jr. of Penn State were all mocked to teams behind the Cardinals in the draft order.
Same with edge rushers Jared Verse of Florida State, Andre Carter of Army, Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech and Adetomiwa Adebawore of Northwestern.
