Cardinals' First-Rounder Poised for Bigger Role

The Arizona Cardinals are expecting breakouts from more than one member of their 2025 roster. With a defense — particularly the front seven — primed to take a massive jump in both overall talent and execution, a few names may stand out as more likely to live up to that second-year leap.

One such name is former first-round pick Darius Robinson. Robinson saw a bit of a delay in his development after a major calf injury held him out of the first portion of the season. He then tragically lost his mother.

The deck was stacked against the DL out of Missouri in 2024. When he returned, there was a notable lag in his step, after he had profiled as one of the most exciting and dangerous young players on the roster.

Pro Football Focus zeroed in on 10 second-year players who may have a chance to see a larget role ahead of them in the 2025 season. Robinson was Arizona's representation.

PFF: Darius Robinson Will Take Massive Step

Here's what PFF had to say about the situation:

"Robinson was the 27th overall pick in last year’s draft but was limited to just six games (184 snaps) due to a nagging calf injury and a bereavement period away from the team. He struggled to make much of an impact when on the field, generating just two pressures on 120 pass-rushing snaps.

"Admittedly, the path for Robinson to earn playing time may be less clear than others on this list. The Cardinals signed future Hall-of-Famer Calais Campbell (the highest-graded interior run defender in 2024) and Dalvin Tomlinson (67.4 PFF overall grade) and spent their 2025 first-round pick on Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. They also bolstered their edge unit by signing free agent Josh Sweat after his Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"It’s hard to believe Robinson won’t have every opportunity to earn snaps with his play during camp, just one year removed from being a first-round pick. With that said, it’s fair to assume that his leash may be shorter, given the team's newfound depth along the defensive line."

Robinson, heading into what HC Jonathan Gannon referred to as "year 1.5," will be a player to watch, at the very least.

There's no doubt the raw talent is there, and with a plethora of additions, both along the edge and interior, not only will Robinson have a wider margin for error, he'll also have support drawing OL focus away from him.

He may not become a truly terrifying star, but there's way more in the tank than he was able to show in the 2024 season, and Arizona could benefit greatly from that fact.