NFL Draft countdown: Focus on Cardinals' first-round pick at No. 16

The 2025 NFL Draft is now 16 days away and for the fourth time in franchise history, the Arizona Cardinals own the 16th pick. This year, they’ve been linked to these players in various mock drafts. 

DT Walter Nolen | Ole Miss

Nolen had 66 tackles and five sacks in two years with Texas A&M before leaving for Ole Miss, where he played all over the line for a career-high 48 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2024. At 6-foot-4 and 296 pounds, Nolan is considered a “game wrecker” and comes highly recommended by CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli:

"I've been pounding the table for Walter Nolen throughout this entire process, and will continue to do so. He's my DT2 in the class behind (Mason) Graham, and he's my No. 9 overall player, so the Cardinals getting him here is a great pick in my eyes."

Arizona spent $105M to bring former Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat and former Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson aboard this offseason but there’s always room for a young, three-down interior lineman to Nick Rallis' defense.

DT Kenneth Grant | Michigan

Grant had 6.5 sacks in three years at Michigan and set career marks in tackles (32) and passes defended (five) in 2024. Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flick believes is the second-best defensive tackle in the draft and a better fit for the Cardinals than Nolan:

"Grant is still raw as a pass rusher, but his 6-foot-4, 331-pound frame is difficult to move in the run game. Laterally quick and capable of making plays in pursuit, Grant has an early role as a run-stuffing defensive tackle with the upside to be a three-down player."