Pro Football Focus Praises Cardinals Rookies

The Arizona Cardinals began their rookie class with two players that could have been top 10 picks in this year's draft at one point in the pre-draft process.

First-round defensive tackle Walter Nolen was taken with the No. 16 overall pick, and he projects to be one of the team's starting defensive linemen for a long time.

"To kick things off, the Cardinals added an extremely talented player to amplify their defensive front. As a plus run defender, Walter Nolen earned the second-highest PFF run-defense grade in the FBS this past season (91.6). The seventh-ranked prospect on PFF's big board will instantly upgrade an Arizona defense that ranked 27th in EPA allowed per rush in 2024," Pro Football Focus writer Mason Cameron wrote.

Nolen has a lot of potential for the Cardinals, and the team hopes he can step up right away from Day 1.

Another player with potential to be a major contributor early in his career is second-round cornerback Will Johnson, who was taken at No. 47 overall out of Michigan.

"A tough injury cut Will Johnson’s 2024 campaign short and sent his draft stock tumbling. However, he did prove his level of talent across his tenure at Michigan. His 57.2 passer rating allowed in coverage across the past three seasons charted in the 94th percentile. Pairing Johnson with breakout cornerback Garrett Williams will upgrade a coverage unit that allowed the sixth-highest EPA per dropback," Cameron wrote.

Nolen and Johnson could both be cornerstones for the Cardinals defense in the years to come, and if both are able to come into their own, Arizona could become a playoff contender in the not-too-distant future with the NFC West crumbling around them.

Nolen and Johnson, along with the rest of the first-year players, will participate in the team's rookie minicamp from Friday to Sunday.