Cardinals Make Puzzling Pick in Latest Mock Draft

Speculation season is in full swing as the NFL Draft rapidly approaches. The Arizona Cardinals hold the No. 16 pick, but just what GM Monti Ossenfort will do with that is still very much a mystery.

As mock drafts swirl around the internet, there's been a generally common theme for Arizona — especially amongst fan-created mock drafts. The Cardinals still need plenty of help along the defensive line, and the Draft is the latest place Ossenfort could turn to to add to it.

Granted, he did sign both Josh Sweat and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency, but as the Cardinals look to strengthen their depth further and develop young players into future stars, the Draft — particularly the first few rounds — is of crucial importance.

But in the latest mock draft released by Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman, the Cardinals make a pick that might come as a bit of a surprise.

In Wasserman's mock, the Cardinals selected Texas CB Jahdae Barron with the 16th overall pick, adding to their secondary with yet another young corner.

Wasserman's justification for the selection reads as follows:

"The Cardinals improved in coverage at safety and in the slot but struggled on the outside last season. Their outside cornerbacks earned a 52.0 zone PFF coverage grade, the lowest in the NFL. Luckily, Jahdae Barron falls to them here. He won the Jim Thorpe Award — given to the top defensive back in college football — in his final year in Texas, primarily because he led all FBS cornerbacks with a 91.5 zone PFF coverage grade."

Barron is clearly a good player, but it's hard to imagine head coach Jonathan Gannon needing another corner to play with. He's already been able to put significant development into Garrett Williams and Max Melton. Even players like Starling Thomas V, Kei'Trel Clark and Sean Murphy-Bunting saw their 2024 seasons trend up towards the end.

Arizona has a secondary full of young, developing DBs, and last year's draft pick Elijah Jones didn't even see the field due to an injury. Barron would certainly be a quality player to add to the Cardinals' roster, but he doesn't fill a need at 16th overall.

In this draft, DLs Kenneth Grant, Derrick Harmon and Walter Nolen were all available at 16. So were EDGEs Shemar Stewart, Mike Green, Mykel Williams and James Pearce Jr.

Even CB Will Johnson out of Michigan could've been the pick for Arizona at 16. It's hard to believe Wasserman's draft scenario makes sense here, but perhaps Barron stood out to Ossenfort and Gannon at the combine.

Regardless, it seems more likely the Cardinals will look to boost their front seven, rather than taking a corner who isn't even considered the best CB prospect in this draft - as talented a player as Barron is.