The 2021 NFL draft just concluded last weekend, so naturally we start already looking ahead to the 2022 draft. It is expected to be a very talented draft class, considering the number of players who returned to school because of the pandemic and because the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility.
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling already has a mock draft for 2022. Yes, it is way too early to really think about who could actually be the pick for the Arizona Cardinals, but it does put prospects on our radar.
In his very early 2022 mock draft, The Cardinals pick 18th, based on current Super Bowl odds.
So one takeaway is that these projections have the Cardinals missing the playoffs. That is not great. It would mean they are the league’s best non-playoff team.
The pick for the Cardinals is Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam.
Selecting a cornerback makes a ton of sense. Malcolm Butler is on a one-year deal. The Cardinals drafted two cornerbacks but they were both on Day 3, so expectations for them should be tempered.
Elam has had two interceptions in his first two seasons with the Gators.
He is 6-2 and 193 pounds, so he has length that the Cardinals like in a boundary cornerback.
In 12 games last season, he had two interceptions and 11 pass breakups, so he got his hands on the ball at least once a game on average.
With his size and ball skills already, he is definitely a player to watch during the 2021 season.
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