Cardinals get high marks for draft haul
The Arizona Cardinals obviously liked the haul they pulled in during the weekend's NFL Draft -- what team doesn't publicly say the same thing? -- but the so-called experts also gave the Cardinals high marks.
A compilation of the team's draft report card:
Grade: B+
Forget about adding college superstars, GM Steve Keim and head coach Bruce Arians want players who can sustain success in the league. A year after stealing Pittsburg State's John Brown, Arizona picked up Northern Iowa RB David Johnson in the third round and traded up in the fourth to get Delaware State's Rodney Gunter. Johnson, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound back, is a power runner who can catch balls out of the backfield. To make this draft even better, Arizona strengthened its offensive line by selecting the best left tackle in the class in Florida's D.J. Humphries. Second-round pick Markus Golden, who started opposite Shane Ray at Missouri, has drawn comparisons to a young LaMarr Woodley.
Grade: B+
I like what they do because Steve Keim and their front office there in Arizona, they don't care where guys went to college. They got John Brown last year out of Pittsburg State in the third round and the rest of the league was scratching their heads. So what do they do? They go get David Johnson from Northern Iowa. They trade up to get Rodney Gunter out of Delaware State, a defensive tackle that no one has ever heard of, no one, but they must see something in him. Then they get Shaq Riddick out of West Virginia, who did all his damage at Gardner-Webb. So they don't care what we think. They don't care where these guys played. They find a way, and last year Steve Keim won NFL Executive of the Year. I am not going to question these guys.
Grade: A
Best Pick: I love the pick of running back David Johnson in the third round. He will compete right away to start and gives them a little more toughness in the backfield.
Third-day gem: Fifth-round pick Shaquille Riddick, a defensive end from West Virginia, will move to a 3-4 rush player in their scheme. He has same explosiveness off the edge that could help.
Analysis: They wanted to get a top-level offensive lineman, and they did that by drafting D.J. Humphries in the first round. Golden was a little high, but he has talent. I love the pick of Johnson. Another good haul.
Grade: B+
Surrendering the division only after Carson Palmer tore his ACL, the Cardinals attempted to protect the heavy investment in the 35-year-old quarterback with the addition of D.J. Humphries, who some scouts feel will eventually prove the best tackle from this class. The Cardinals reinforced coach Bruce Arians' aggressive offense with a powerfully and surprisingly athletic back in David Johnson, who offers excellent hands out of the backfield, as well as speedster J.J. Nelson, who was clocked at a combine-best 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Tough guy Markus Golden boosts Arizona's edge rushing, though long-armed Shaq Riddick could ultimately prove the better player with further development.
The skinny: NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah is one of many who believe Humphries is the best offensive tackle in the draft. At pick No. 24, he's an absolute steal for the Cardinals, especially considering they didn't have to trade up to get him. Humphries will fill an area of need and help the recovering Carson Palmer breathe a bit easier by keeping pass rushers at bay. Golden has great upside and might wind up having a better career than his former teammates at Missouri, such Broncos' first-round pick Shane Ray. Johnson is a perfect fit for Bruce Arians and can fill the big-back role; he's also a top-notch threat as a pass catcher. Nelson teams with John Brown to form the fastest tandem in the league.
Bottom line: The Cardinals added a lot of high upside players who can contribute in defined roles for a team that is really close to a Super Bowl run.
Grade: A
Steve Keim and Bruce Arians know what they need to do. Humphries matched value for need in front of Carson Palmer, while Golden, Gunter and Riddick replenish the depth outside and inside of the front seven. They also landed a hammer of a back they really needed in Johnson, the best small-school prospect on the board.
Grade: B
The Cardinals started their draft with a bit of a round 1 steal in Florida offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who may have gone a lot higher than the 24th pick had it not been for some injury concerns. Humphries has a great combination of strength and athleticism. Missouri end Markus Golden was lost in all the Shane Ray hype, but he's a hard-working, productive player who can steal a lot of snaps as an all-around defender as opposed to a pure pass rusher. Arizona needed power in its backfield to complement Andre Ellington, and it may now have it in the person of Northern Iowa's David Johnson, a 6'1", 224-pound thumper who can also catch the ball out of the backfield. West Virginia's Shaquille Riddick is a tweener pass rusher with some potential.
Grade: B+
The Arizona Cardinals have needed to rebuild the offensive line for years on end, and they've been trying to since the moment head coach Bruce Arians took over. Taking a tackle this low in the first round usually means rolling the dice, but the presence of left tackle Jared Veldheer and free-agent addition of guard Mike Iupati means Humphries should be able to step in on the right.
Golden isn't a flashy player, but he fits in perfectly with the Cardinals' lunch-bucket defense. Riddick fits the profile too. David Johnson stuck out in the evaluation cycle as a small-school back with old-school size and should add a missing between-the-tackles rushing element.
Grade: B-
Nice draft for the Cardinals, who addressed needs at offensive tackle, edge rusher and running back at the top of the draft. Humphries only played at around 290 pounds last year, but has excellent feet and athleticism. Golden's passion for football will help him see the field in some capacity, while Johnson is a big back with receiving skills with the ceiling of a starter. Gunter and Riddick are developmental linemen while Nelson, perhaps the best returner in the draft, can become an immediate contributor on special teams.