Cardinals 2021 NFL Draft Profile: EDGE Shaka Toney
Entering week seven of the NFL season, the Arizona Cardinals have started to get their momentum back, despite losing pass rusher Chandler Jones to a torn biceps, which ends his 2020 season. However, they did go out and trade for New York Giants edge rusher Markus Golden for a 2021 sixth-round pick. The Cardinals have talented edge rushers, but it is still an area of concern. They have Devon Kennard on a three-year deal and Jordan Phillips through the 2022 season. Markus Golden is only with the Cardinals through this season, and they need another player that possesses elite speed with a high motor.
The Cardinals will have some talented edge rushers to choose from in the 2021 NFL Draft. One player that would be a perfect fit for the future of the Cardinals’ pass-rushing corps is Penn State’s Shaka Toney.
Shaka Toney has a tremendous burst of speed and has the talent to be a key contributor for the Cardinals’ defense. The 6-foot-3 and 253-pound edge rusher has the athletic ability to make big plays out of nowhere, as he has done before. Toney plays with a high motor and uses his athleticism to his advantage. Penn State is without arguably one of the most talented prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft in Micah Parsons to an opt-out. They still have both Toney and Jayson Oweh as their top defensive stars. Last season, Toney recorded 40 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. The minute he stepped onto the field for the first time as a Nittany Lion, he was an immediate contributor. In 2017, Toney was named to the All-Freshman team by BTN.com, recording 17 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. Toney is one of the most impressive edge rushers in the Big Ten that should not be overlooked.
Shaka Toney is an impressive talent. However, there are two traits that he will have to polish up. First, Toney’s technique is impressive, he just needs to stay consistent with it. He is powerful with his rip move, but there are times where he will rely too much on his athleticism, meaning he will play too high and is not as active with his hands as he should be. Toney can also be a bit of a high tackler at times. This is an area where he should not have too much of a problem polishing up, as he has been on his game before of being an efficient tackler.
Shaka Toney has the talent to be a key contributor for the Arizona Cardinals. He possesses elite speed and athleticism that Vance Joseph will fall in love with. He has room to grow and with the loss of Micah Parsons to the NFL Draft, this is a big opportunity for Toney to take that big leap in his final season as a Penn State Nittany Lion.
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