Unlike many of the NFL teams slated to pick early in the 2024 draft, the Arizona Cardinals are not involved in this year's rookie quarterback sweepstakes. Or at least that's what we've been led to believe, with team brass repeatedly endorsing Kyler Murray, the former No. 1 pick, as the signal-caller of the present and future. But all that means is the Cardinals are now under pressure to surround Murray with a supporting cast to help justify the investment.
Fortunately, owning a top-five pick should help. On one hand, the Cardinals are well-positioned to secure maybe the top non-quarterback of the entire 2024 class, such as a big-name pass catcher like Marvin Harrison Jr. They also have a chance to expand their already-solid arsenal of draft ammo, capitalizing on an apparent abundance of top-10 quarterback prospects by trading down and collecting additional picks. Either way, they've got clear holes to address on both sides of the ball.
After a relatively quiet free agency period in which they shied away from splashy additions despite plenty of salary cap space, what will the Cardinals do next? Here's a look at their complete stock of 2024 draft picks, plus a seven-round mock draft:
Top team needs: WR, DL, EDGE, LB, CB
2024 NFL Draft picks
- Round 1: Pick 4
- Round 1: Pick 27 (from Texans)
- Round 2: Pick 35
- Round 3: Pick 66
- Round 3: Pick 71 (from Titans)
- Round 3: Pick 90 (from Texans)
- Round 4: Pick 104
- Round 5: Pick 138
- Round 5: Pick 162 (from Texans)
- Round 6: Pick 186 (from Vikings)
- Round 7: Pick 226 (from Giants)
For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on "With the First Pick" -- our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc.
Cardinals seven-round mock draft
Mock Trade from
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1, Pick 11
Alabama
• 6'0"
/ 199 lbs
Is there reason for Arizona to stand pat and guarantee a pick of the top wideouts, securing an elite prospect like Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers for Kyler Murray? Sure. But the phone is sure to be ringing, and the opportunity to address multiple glaring needs on Day 1 sounds perfect for a lineup squarely in rebuild mode. So we've got the Cardinals sending No. 4 overall to the Minnesota Vikings, along with two third-rounders (Nos. 66, 90), in exchange for No. 11, No. 23 and a 2025 first-rounder. As for the actual pick? All three of the consensus top wideouts figure to be off the board by this point, but Arnold could be a premium consolation prize. He's arguably the top pro-ready cover man of his class, and Jonathan Gannon's defense could sorely use a building block at the position.
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Mock Trade from
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1, Pick 23
LSU
• 6'2"
/ 209 lbs
Even before letting Marquise Brown walk in free agency, the Cardinals badly needed help on the perimeter. Thomas should provide just that, offering both top-end size (6-3, 210) and deep speed. He'd immediately slot in as a No. 1 for Kyler Murray.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1, Pick 27
Laiatu Latu
EDGE
UCLA
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
A year after spending a Day 2 pick on BJ Ojulari, Arizona is still lacking star power off the edge. In this scenario, they triple-dip in the first round by adding to the rotation. A college neck injury could scare some teams off, but Latu appears to possess the kind of difference-making burst of a future Pro Bowler.
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Round 2, Pick 35
Braden Fiske
DL
Florida State
• 6'5"
/ 291 lbs
Adding Justin Jones certainly aids the interior, but Gannon would surely welcome more help up front. While Fiske is smaller for an inside tackle (6-4, 292), his quickness could enable him to contribute immediately on pass downs; Gannon notably leaned on interior pressure during his days running the Philadelphia Eagles defense.
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From
Tennessee Titans
Round 3, Pick 71
Texas
• 6'0"
/ 207 lbs
The Cardinals still need more fireworks for Kyler Murray and Co. And Brooks has three-down upside despite coming off a torn ACL. Trim and quick-footed, he's got the makeup of an ideal complement to the more thunderous James Conner. He's also got the benefit of a light college workload.
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Round 4, Pick 104
Texas Tech
• 5'10"
/ 189 lbs
Budda Baker remains at the back end of the Cardinals defense, but for how long? Taylor-Demerson offset smaller size with instincts and ball skills at Texas Tech, which would surely entice Gannon, and his positional versatility could earn him immediate snaps across the secondary.
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Round 5, Pick 138
Zak Zinter
IOL
Michigan
• 6'6"
/ 310 lbs
The Cardinals appear fine at tackle, where they added Jonah Williams this offseason. But the interior could use reinforcements, and Zinter drew high marks at Michigan for his smarts in the trenches. He could provide instant insurance at guard and center.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 5, Pick 162
Florida State
• 6'1"
/ 200 lbs
Spicy? Maybe a little, but a Day 3 quarterback flyer shouldn't be shocking. Kyler Murray is "the guy" according to team leaders, but that doesn't change the fact he's missed multiple games due to injury in three straight seasons. The Cardinals also added Desmond Ridder as a young backup, but Travis' leadership and growth as an off-script passer could make for developmental insurance at the game's most important position.
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From
Minnesota Vikings
Round 6, Pick 186
Kentucky
• 6'1"
/ 244 lbs
Kyzir White is a trusted piece of Gannon's front seven, headlining the inside linebackers, but he also missed six games in 2023 and could use a longer-term running mate. Wallace reportedly boasts high-end physical traits and could benefit from NFL coaching.
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From
New York Giants
Round 7, Pick 226
Cedric Johnson
EDGE
Ole Miss
• 6'3"
/ 264 lbs
With late picks, sometimes it pays off to bet on traits more than anything else. Johnson certainly has the physical build of an NFL-ready edge rusher, even if his technique may require tweaking. You can never have too many horses in the stable here.
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