Grading Cardinals Day 2 Picks

Day two of the 2025 NFL Draft was wildly successful for the Arizona Cardinals, who found one of the best values of the entire draft in round two with Michigan’s Will Johnson before adding a proven stud in Oregon’s Jordan Burch.

This draft had been easy to figure out — fix the defense. And along with the offseason moves the team made, they’re racing towards the finish line.

With day three results looming, here are my grades for the Cardinals Day Two picks:

Will Johnson: A+

It's understandable to have concerns about Johnson's knee in the long-term, but we've said this before about some guys who still had stellar careers. Besides, that's down the road. For now, in the immediate moment, this is a slam dunk.

Johnson was someone fans were hoping the Cardinals would draft with the 16th overall pick and managed to get him 31 picks later. He was a superstar for Michigan and one of the most important players on their 2023 championship team.

I've said the team needs an alpha on the boundary and Johnson provides that presence. Him and Garrett Williams give Arizona a tough duo at corner. Along with Max Melton and the rest of the room, cornerback just became a strength in the desert.

It will also be entertaining to see Johnson lineup on Marvin Harrison Jr, his college rival, once again in training camp.

Jordan Burch: C+

Burch is a good player who was a standout on a great Oregon defense last season. He managed quality production prior to his explosion last season.

The intriguing aspect of Burch is his size. He played close to 300 lbs in Eugene but dropped to 279 lbs for his Combine weigh-in. Burch is a big, strong man despite him being announced as a linebacker during his selection.

And this is where my hold up comes into play.

I'm not sure where Burch fits into this defense. I find him to be similar to Darius Robinson, who already has a niche position on this defense as it is. I also don't know if I want to have him start standing up to be a true edge rusher.

It's not that Burch is a bad player, I just think it's a bad fit. But I've been wrong many times before and that won't stop any time soon. Perhaps the defensive staff I've praised countless times will make him a star.