4 Late Round Draft Prospects Cardinals Should Target

Day three of any NFL Draft is a gamble. Sometimes you can find yourself a starting caliber player or better, but often times it’s guys with limited upside who may not take that next step. The 2025 NFL Draft is no different, but that doesn’t mean teams should be passive with their selections — certainly not the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals showed last season they’re much closer to competing than we previously thought and a good draft class may be what gets them over the top. It starts with nailing their first-round pick and then finding studs on day two.

When day three rolls around, the Cardinals need to have their stuff accomplished from the event with as good a group as any.

Arizona practically needs to do such if they want to take that big step in year three of the Jonathan Gannon/Monti Ossenfort area.

If they want my advice, the four following players are guys I’d be looking at and could present good value with better opportunities to fit this team.

Olu Oladejo

Oladejo is someone the Cardinals have previously spoken with and has become someone I like to link to the team quite a bit. After starting his career as an off ball linebacker, Oladejo made a switch to edge rusher and saw his raw potential start to grow.

The move showcased the athletic prowess to be tapped into and explored. With the right coaching, Oladejo could take the next step in his development as a pass rusher.

Arizona would be an ideal fit here. This defensive staff knows how to work with defensive talent and find ways to get the most out of them. A player like Oladejo, who has experience all over the front seven, is exactly the type of player that attracts this staff.

Heading to the desert could help Oladejo immensely, while the Cardinals get to enjoy a high-upside player that can start his career rotating and maybe one day finding a much more significant role.

Tory Horton

Marvin Harrison Jr and Michael Wilson return as the lone main contributors from last year's wide receiver room. Zay Jones is also back, but he was nearly non-existent. Arizona needs bodies for the room and this year's draft class has plenty to be enamored by.

Horton is one of the quieter names from this class and someone I could see outplaying his eventual draft position.

The Colorado State star's 2024 season was marred by injuries that slowed him down significantly. He posted over 1,000-yards in his prior two seasons, however, so there's no question about his potential.

Horton is a welcome addition to a needy room, but his 4.41 speed could help out a group that is in desperate need of such. This isn't to say that Horton is the solution the Cardinals need for a deep threat, but he does pose speed that the rest of the roster lacks -- making him a potential asset the team lacks.

JJ Pegues

As far as day three picks go, Pegues would be near the top of my wishlist for the Cardinals.

The big man became a fan-favorite in his three seasons in Oxford. The 6'3 and 309 lbs interior defender compiled 10 sacks with the Rebels on a defense that had no shortage of pass rushers throughout his time with Ole Miss. Pegues biggest claim to fame is as a run defender, where he excels at stuffing guys before they can get going.

Pegues is the kind of player you bring in to work on one assignment and have him master it. After that, see what else is there. But Pegues is a terrific run defender out the gate, so let's make sure he takes his game to the literal next level and then go from there.

Emery Jones

Once upon a time, Jones was viewed as a first-round prospect at right tackle. Flash forward to now and there are debates about whether he should kick inside to guard. Crazy how fast things can change.

Jones faced a down season after showing some terrific upside a year ago blocking for the eventual Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels. 2024 was not as kind to Jones and there are now questions about his prospects in the pros. The one thing that seems certain is he will stay on the right side of the line.

This presents a perfect opportunity for the Cardinals to pounce on. The right side of the offensive line is completely unsettled with temporary options at right tackle and not much else at guard.

With Jones built to play on the right side of the line, this is a good landing spot for both parties, as Jones will have a chance to compete for both positions and could see playing time out the gate if he plays his cards right.