Arizona Cardinals 3-round 2021 NFL mock draft: More offensive firepower

The Arizona Cardinals lack ideal depth at the edge rusher position. They have Chandler Jones leading the way, which is great, but they do not have any other players who can make a significant impact as a pass rusher on the edge. With their second-round selection of this mock draft, the Cardinals address this depth issue by adding Joe Tryon out of Washington.

Tryon is quick off of the ball and shows tremendous natural bend around the edge. He is an extremely athletic player who wins with an impressive combination of raw speed and quickness as an edge rusher. Tryon also uses his combination of quickness, athleticism and long arms as an asset when dropping back in coverage. He is extremely solid and dependable when asked to drop back into a short zone.

As impressive as Tryon is athletically, he does lack ideal functional strength. He does not set the edge well and struggles in most run defense situations. There are times where he can use his athleticism as an asset and make plays in the backfield against the run, but he is a feast or famine kind of player at this point in his career against the run.

Tryon is not a perfect prospect, but he undoubtedly has a ton of talent and potential as a defender against opposing passing attacks. He is not a guy who you will want on the field often on rushing downs, but Tryon certainly has some exciting upside as an edge defender/linebacker hybrid who will be able to make an impact on passing downs. Snagging him in the second round would be great for the Arizona Cardinals.