Cardinals Make Puzzling Picks in ESPN Mock Draft

The Arizona Cardinals have a handful of possibilites they can go in the 2025 NFL Draft, where they own the 16th overall selection.

Though you can never truly rule anything out - especially when it comes to the draft - prime positions to be upgraded are along the offensive/defensive line and edge rusher.

So it was quite a surprise to see the Cardinals select a cornerback in Matt Miller's latest mock draft for ESPN.

It was even more of a surprise to see the Cardinals take a cornerback immediately again in the second round.

Up first for the Cardinals at Pick 16 was Texas Longhorns cornerback Jahdae Barron:

"The Cardinals could go a number of directions with wide receiver, cornerback and defensive end all being issues. Barron took home the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back after making a move from slot cornerback to the outside before the 2024 season. He had five interceptions and 10 pass breakups, and he boosted his profile from a Day 3 pick to one of my top 15 players in the class," wrote Miller.

"Some teams might view him as an inside corner, while others like Barron's tape on the outside. Playing him on the inside with Budda Baker gives the Cardinals instant improvement on the back end."

News for Miller - the Cardinals do have an inside corner in Garrett Williams, who is one of the best at his position.

Now, there's been some talk about Arizona potentially moving him to a boundary role, though the Cardinals still are fairly excited about a young secondary that includes Starling Thomas and Max Melton.

Surely the trio is not the Legion of Boom, though Arizona was impressed with the growth of their crew of cornerbacks.

Miller doubled down for the Cardinals by selecting East Carolina's Shavon Revel Jr. at Pick 47, just one pick after Notre Dame CB Ben Morrison.

"Like Morrison, there was first-round talk around Revel before he suffered a torn ACL in September, which limited him to three games in 2024. At 6-foot-3, 193 pounds, Revel has the size and speed to be the matchup cornerback the Cardinals are lacking," Miller said on the pick.

Quite honestly, even if the Cardinals did nab a massive edge rusher before the draft via free agency or trade (Myles Garrett just requested a trade, for what it's worth) - this would be a shocking and rather puzzling development out of the desert.

Cornerback is still on the board of possibilities to be upgraded, but Arizona in no way should utilize their first two picks on the position.