PFF: Cardinals DB Was Best From Draft Class

The Arizona Cardinals are in a new era.

No longer is their roster riddled with aging stars. Instead, young players, even ones drafted in later rounds, are establishing themselves and showcasing their talent from day one.

One such young player was a bit of a surprise in 2025. Young safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but immediately appeared to have the raw physical talent and high motor needed to be a contributor in an already-strong group of safeties.

Pro Football Focus' Thomas Valentine recognized Taylor-Demerson as the highest-graded member of his position group from his draft class.

Granted, it does come in a very small sample size. Taylor-Demerson only started two games, but he did find his way into all 17 of Arizona's matchups in some capacity, playing 258 total snaps.

"Taylor-Demerson didn’t feature much in his rookie season, but the fourth-round pick out of Texas Tech impressed all the same when he was on the field," Valentine writes. "His 75.5 PFF overall grade led all rookie safeties and ranked 17th at the position overall.

"He flashed as a run defender in the box, earning an 80.6 PFF grade, while his 70.0 PFF coverage was also in the top 20 at the position. Taylor-Demerson performed well in a rotational role, and his efforts could lead to a bigger role in Year 2."

It's hard to make waves when you stand next to Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker. Even outside Baker, the Cardinals have a strong supporting safety in Jalen Thompson. But Taylor-Demerson did stand out, beginning with his preseason performance.

Taylor-Demerson is exactly the type of player head coach Jonathan Gannon would love. A high-energy tackling machine, who plays bigger than his 5-foot-10 size and does the dirty work with a smile.

With 36 total tackles and a forced fumble in his limited 2024 action, Taylor-Demerson is set up to take on a larger role in 2025. With Thompson struggling somewhat, it might not come as a complete surprise to see the second-year safety get a much larger chunk of playing time.