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Cardinals 7-round mock draft: Team addresses defense early, offense late

As we pass the Super Bowl, we are one week closer to the 2021 NFL draft. With a limited amount of cap space this offseason, The draft will be crucial for the Arizona Cardinals to address their most glaring needs. They also go into the draft with just five picks. So, the Cardinals will have to evaluate these players closely to see which ones fit the best with their team.

Here is a seven-round Cardinals mock draft with players who fit best with the team and can hopefully help them make a playoff push next season.


Round 1: South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn

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This pick seems like a match made in heaven. Jaycee Horn was a big draft riser before he opted out during the 2020 season. The Cardinals have a lot of uncertainty in the cornerback room, which is perhaps their most glaring need this offseason. This is a deep secondary class and horn is a player that will be tough for the Cardinals to pass up on. Horn screams consistency and has held his own ground against big-bodied receivers like Kyle Pitts and Seth Williams. His footwork has improved each year while keeping an impressive balance throughout plays. Horn would be the perfect player to complement Patrick Peterson, or even Byron Murphy if the Cardinals let Peterson walk. The Cardinals could go several ways to start this draft. But, Horn makes the most sense with their 16th overall pick.

Round 2: Penn State EDGE Jayson Oweh

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The other major area of concern is the depth of their edge-rushing room. Outside of Chandler Jones, there’s a good amount of unproven talent. The Cardinals traded for Markus Golden at the deadline, but he will be an unrestricted free agent. If the Cardinals don’t go edge rusher in the first three rounds, it will be a bit surprising. While Micah Parsons opted out of the 2020 college football season, other Penn State edge rushers like Shaka Toney and Jayson Oweh stood out. Oweh finished this season with 38 total tackles. He provides an ample amount of speed and athleticism. He isn’t overly active with his hands at times, but Oweh has still been both consistent and exciting to watch throughout his time as a Nittany Lion. He could go as early as the second round and would be a nice complement to Chandler Jones for next season.

Round 3: Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell

The Cardinals might be looking for a running back earlier in the draft, but Kenneth Gainwell gives them more versatility in their backfield. He is a bit undersized, but if the Cardinals believe Chase Edmonds can be their guy if they move on from Kenyan Drake, then Gainwell would be a very nice complement for him. Gainwell is a running back in this class that should be talked about more. Even though he opted out of the 2020 college football season, Gainwell still has a good amount of impressive tape to watch. In 2019, he recorded 1,459 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns with current Washington Football Team running back and former Memphis running back Antonio Gibson in the spotlight as well. In the same season, Gainwell put up 610 receiving yards with 12 yards per reception. What really stands out though is his acceleration and burst of speed. Gainwell has shown that size doesn’t matter and he has a very bright future in the NFL, potentially with the Cardinals.

Round 5: Notre Dame OL Tommy Kraemer

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With an interior offensive line class that isn’t too deep, Tommy Kraemer with this pick would be some nice value. The Cardinals' offensive line is slowly working their way to improvement, but they still need more help on the inside. Kraemer stands 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds and excels as a pass blocker, not allowing a single sack in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Kraemer isn’t an elite run blocker, but he is still productive. His highest run-blocking grade came in 2017, which was 68.1, according to PFF. He isn’t the quickest and will need some polishing in the run game when going up against players with elite speed. There have been times where guys will burst through his gap and he’ll get called for holding, like their matchup against Clemson in 2020. However, Kraemer is still a very nice depth piece that you can groom into a potential starter in a few years.

Round 7: Louisville WR Dez Fitzpatrick

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Dez Fitzpatrick has limited film to look at and Louisville WR Tutu Atwell took over the spotlight this season. However, he did make up for a bit of it in the Senior Bowl, finishing with six receptions for 90 yards to lead all pass catchers. Fitzpatrick doesn’t have elite speed, but he does have good hands and would be a good player to develop into not only a potential third option receiver on the Cardinals’ offense, but a reliable target for Kyler Murray. One thing that stands out is his blocking, and that will be crucial for the Cardinals. There are plenty of games that stand out, but one, in particular, would be his game against Duke in 2020. No matter where the ball was being played, Fitzpatrick was still finishing his blocks, even if the ball was out of reach. With his reliability and standout Senior Bowl, Fitzpatrick could solidify himself as a late-round draft pick. The Cardinals could approach the draft in several ways, but with just five picks and limited cap space, it will be crucial for them to nail these selections. There is plenty of talent that would really help the Cardinals. These five draft picks mentioned could really help them make a strong playoff push in an NFC West division that isn’t getting any weaker. Listen to the latest from Cards Wire's Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify. Latest show:

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