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Lots of trades for Cardinals in new mock draft simulations

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim told reporters this past week that it would be more likely the team trade down in the 2021 NFL draft to acquire more picks.

In this latest seven-round draft simulation, we take that to heart and make a few trades. There are six trades in all and three in the first round. They trade back three times.

Here are the results of the draft below.


Trade back from No. 16 to No. 26

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The Cleveland Browns want Alabama DL Christian Barmore and offer the 26th, 89th and 211th picks. I take it.

Trade back from No. 26 to No. 30

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The Buffalo Bills want Georgia pass rusher Azeez Ojulari and offer a fifth-round pick and a 2022 sixth-rounder to swap spots. I take it.

Trade back from 30 to 31

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Three different teams want to move up. The Baltimore Ravens make the best offer and the Cardinals only have to go back one more spot. They get another fifth-round pick to move one spot back to No. 31.

Round 1: Alabama RB Najee Harris

The end of the first round isn't too early to take a promising running back. Yes, the Cardinals already have Chase Edmonds and James Conner, but both are free agents after 2021.

Trade back from No. 49 to No. 61

The Buffalo Bills call again looking to land a receiver. The Cardinals could use a receiver, but knowing the class is deep, I take the call. They offer their third-round pick to swap spots in the second round. They speedy Purdue receiver Rondale Moore.

Round 2: Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr.

Here we address the cornerback position. Samuel is physical and can compete to start right away.

Trade up from No. 89 to No. 75

In the third round, I have my eyes on a receiver. I take the third-round pick and the sixth-round pick the Browns gave me and offer it to move up 14 spots to No. 75.

Round 3: USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

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With this pick, in the first 75 picks of the draft, we have gotten a top running back, a talented cornerback and now a receiver. St. Brown can play in the slot and be productive. He isn't speedy but has enough speed for the NFL and is very smooth in his play.

Round 3: Boston College TE Hunter Long

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With the third-round pick acquired in the trade with the Bills in the second round, the Cardinals land a tight end. He is not super athletic but was productive as a pass catcher and is an enthusiastic blocker. He should contribute as a rookie.

Round 5: Florida State EDGE Joshua Kaindoh

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The Cardinals have three fifth-round picks now and their original pick at No. 160 is Kaindoh, who is long at 6-7. Steve Keim likes the depth of the edfe defender class and he adds one here.

Round 5: Virginia EDGE Charles Snowden

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They double up in consecutive picks with edge defenders. With the pick they got from the Bills, they land Virginia edge defender Charles Snowden. He is another 6-7 pass rusher. He had 15 career sacks for the Cavaliers and 30.5 tackles for loss. He can defend the run and drop into coverage.

Round 5: South Carolina OL Sadarius Hutcherson

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This selection comes from the Ravens. Hutcherson is a potential sleeper at guard. He started four seasons and played both guard positions and left tackle for the Gamecocks. He is 6-4 and 320 pounds.

Trade from No. 223 to No. 200

There is a receiver I want for the Cardinals and so I offer the Raiders the sixth-round pick from the Mason Cole trade (No. 223) and the seventh-round pick (No. 247) the Cardinals got from the Raiders in the Rodney Hudson trade. The Cardinals move up to No. 200.

Round 6: North Texas WR Jaelon Darden

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Darden is another sleeper at receiver. He is 5-9 and 170 pounds with speed. Think of him as another Andy Isabella.

Round 7: Georgia CB DJ Daniel

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The Cardinals go with another cornerback with their last pick. Daniel will offer some special teams upside at the back of the roster to start. 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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