Arizona Cardinals 7-round 2020 NFL Mock Draft: Building in the trenches
The Arizona Cardinals have talent, but they need to build a good group in the trenches. They do so in this 2020 NFL Mock Draft.
A lot of eyes were on the Arizona Cardinals heading into the season because of the Kyler Murray pick at number one overall and the hire of Kliff Kingsbury as head coach. The air raid coming to the NFL was a hot topic, and there were doubts about how it would translate and if teams would easily adjust.
The Cardinals have definitely exceeded expectations this season, even with their record sitting at 3-6-1. It starts with the play of quarterback Kyler Murray. He looks like the real deal at the position, with a great arm and good accuracy to all levels of the field. His ability to improvise and make plays with his legs just adds to his excellence. He isn’t the problem.
The problem with the Cardinals exists in the trenches. Murray has been sacked 31 times this season, which sets a pace for nearly 50 by season’s end. That cannot continue. If this team wants to contend in the NFC West and for a Super Bowl title, they need to protect Murray and give him the best chance to succeed.
In this mock draft, we address the needs along the offensive line, along with adding help on the defensive line and getting Murray another weapon. Let’s take a look at who they could take.
Note: This mock draft was completed using The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator.
Round 1, No. 10 Overall: Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn
So, we said the Arizona Cardinals were going to build the offensive line in this mock draft. Well, then why are they going defense here? The simple answer is value-based drafting. In this specific mock, both Andrew Thomas and Tristan Wirfs went off the board, and at this point, there’s no Quenton Nelson in this draft to make a move for the interior line this early.
Instead, the Cardinals opt for the best player available approach and select Auburn defensive tackle, Derrick Brown. The defensive line is another area where Arizona needs to improve. Chandler Jones is once again producing for the Cardinals, sitting at 11.5 sacks on the season. But what’s behind him? The next guy on the list is Terrell Suggs, who isn’t a long term option.
Getting someone to create pressure on the interior like Brown would be excellent for Arizona. At 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, Brown is a fearsome presence on the defensive line. He has great play strength and gets a good jump off the snap for his size.
His ability to create pressure and collapse the pocket is second to none right now when it comes to interior defensive linemen. He can also move around the defensive line which shows his versatility. Brown has one of the highest floors in the class, and he would be a great addition for the Cardinals.