Another week has gone by and it is time for another mock draft simulation. Since most mocks around the Internet have the Arizona Cardinals simply taking Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray first overall, I wanted to look at a different scenario.
What if the Cardinals traded down to the fourth pick and the Oakland Raiders wanted the first overall pick? Who would be available and what would the draft look like after that?
That is how this FanSpeak On the Clock simulation goes. The Cardinals get the fourth and 24th overall picks, Oakland gets the first overall pick and they both swap fourth-round picks as well. The Raiders take Murray with the first pick.
By the end of the draft, the Cardinals make four trades and select 11 players.
Here is how it plays out.
Round 1, pick 4: Kentucky OLB Josh Allen
If the Cardinals really like the three top defensive players in the draft of Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams and Allen, they will be pleased with having the fourth pick. Allen is the guy they land and he can rotate with Terrell Suggs his rookie season. They go from having Markus Golden and Benson Mayowa on that side of the defense to rush the passer to Suggs and Allen.
Round 1, pick 24: Washington St. OT Andre Dillard
So people want the Cardinals to bolster the offensive line? Why not a very good pass-blocking tackle who has played in the Air Raid offense? This is perfect and sets the Cardinals up to have young tackles in 2020 in the starting lineup with Dillard and potentially Korey Cunningham.
Round 2, pick 1: Mississippi WR A.J. Brown
The Cardinals need help at receiver. Brown is a good pick here. He is 6-0, 226 pounds and runs a sub-4.5 in the 40. He had 85 receptions for 1,320 yards and six scores last year and 75 catches for 1,252 yards and 11 scores the year before.
Round 3, pick 9: Texas A&M C Erik McCoy
The Cardinals make a trade. The New England Patriots want to move up and give Arizona the ninth and the 33rd picks in the third round. The Cardinals pick up McCoy, a player with whom they have met. He would create competition for the starting center job and could potentially move Mason Cole over to guard in 2020. It is more offensive line help.
Round 3, pick 33: Texas A&M TE Jace Sternberger
Sternberger caught 48 passes for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. He is a willing blocker though not great at it. However, he has the size, he runs very good routes and has good hands. He would make a nice fit in the new offense potentially.
Round 4, pick 12: Auburn CB Jamel Dean
Originally with the fourth pick in the round, the Green Bay Packers want to move up and give the Cardinals the 12th and 16th picks of the round. They take the highly athletic Dean, who ran a 4.3 at the combine.
Round 4, pick 16: Washburn CB Corey Ballentine
With the extra pick, the Cardinals double up on cornerbacks. Ballentine checks a lot of boxes. He comes from a small school, is athletic and is a great teammate and hard worker.
Round 5, pick 1: Auburn WR Darius Slayton
The Cardinals get another receiver. Slayton is fast and athletic. He has had issues with drops but no prospect in the fifth round is flawless.
Round 5, pick 19: Texas A&M DL Daylon Mack
Mack becomes the third Texas A&M player in the draft for the Cardinals. He is 6-1 and 336 pounds and had 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 2018.
The Cardinals moved up, trading their first sixth-round pick and their final two seventh-rounders to move up and get Mack.
Rounds 6-7
Round 6, pick 6: Central Florida DL Trysten Hill
Round 7, pick 34: Texas LB Gary Johnson
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