NFL Draft 2015: Arizona Cardinals Team Needs
By Zac Snyder
The Arizona Cardinals were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises in 2014, despite a plague of injuries at quarterback and playing in one of the league’s toughest divisions.
Was it a fluke or will the Cardinals become a consistent team to be reckoned with under head coach Bruce Arians? A solid 2015 NFL Draft will help answer that question in a positive way for fans in the desert.
For more on where the Cardinals stand as draft season hits its prime, I got together with Raising Zona’s Scott Allen. Below are my questions followed by his answers.
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1. How have the team’s draft needs changed since free agency opened?
"For the Arizona Cardinals I would say that thanks to free agency they’ve built depth at a couple of the needs (OLB and OL) but I don’t think that has necessarily changed the thought process for the draft. If anything it may have changed the focus on the biggest need now on RB and a pass rusher. Jury is still out on CB."
2. What would you say are the top three needs remaining?
"Running back, defensive end, cornerback"
3. Are there any prospects that have caught your eye so far?
"Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley at RB. Early on it was LB Eric Kendricks but they’ve seemed to address their LB core."
4. What do you think would make for a successful draft for your team?
"Draft smart. You draft the best player available in the first round. Luckily this year by the time 24 rolls around, Melvin Gordon or Todd Gurley would be amongst two of the best remaining if they are still on the board and would also cover the Cardinals for need."
5. So much draft focus often goes to the first few rounds, but is there something you’d like to see your team do in the later rounds?
"Add depth. They got some nice veterans in free agency like Sean Weatherspoon, A.Q.,Shipley and Cory Redding. Another CB certainly helps after the loss of Antonio Cromartie. If they can’t add a pass rusher early, eventually they are going to have to take a chance on someone in the mid to later rounds."
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Next: Post-Free Agency Frenzy 2015 NFL Mock Draft