Arizona Cardinals 2019 NFL Draft Review

Pick #1- Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

A truly perplexing pick. The Cardinals had their quarterback of the future and decided to move on from him after just one year. Josh Rosen is a superior player in just about every aspect outside of athleticism yet Kliff Kingsbury still chose to take Murray with the first overall pick. While Murray has a boat load of potential passing on a superior prospect like Nick Bosa or Quninnen Williams while at the same time giving up on last years first round pick seems counter intuitive at best.

Pick #33- Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

Thought by many to be the best corner in the class it was surprising when Murphy fell out of the first round. Murphy came out as a redshirt sophomore but has great instincts and is a physical gifted corner. The Cardinals finally found a proper running mate for star corner Patrick Peterson.

Pick #62- Andy Isabella, WR, UMass

Chosen with the pick the Cardinals received in exchange for Josh Rosen, Isabella will forever be linked to Rosen’s career in Miami whether good or bad. Isabella is a talented receiver who is built for the slot but possesses the athleticism to play outside. A polished route runner Isabella should go well with new quarterback Kyler Murray.

Pick #65- Zach Allen, DL, Boston College

Arizona desperately needed to add a pass rush option alongside Chandler Jones. While Allen may not be the most athletic pass rusher but he is a stout run defender with a non-stop motor. He should fit in right away opposite Jones.

Pick #103- Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State

Arizona continued to add weapons for their new quarterback and in Butler they got a big bodied, contested catch wiz. Seen by some as a potential first round pick Butler could become a bit of a poor mans Mike Evans due to his ability to produce and win one on one battles despite the lack of top end athleticism.

Pick #139- Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama

To get a player the quality of Thompson in the fifth round is a huge coup for the Cardinals. Thompson was seen by some as one of the top safeties in they entire class and fell because of some poor plays late in the season and his inability to kick an injury that prevented him from testing before the draft. Thompson showed excellent range and ball skills throughout his tenure at Alabama and could be an eventual starter for the Cardinals.

Pick #174- Keesean Johnson, WR, Fresno State

The Cardinals needed to bolster their receiving corps before the draft and by spending three picks on the position they did just that. Johnson is a strong route runner who could round out their receiving corps.

Pick #179- Lamont Gailard, IOL, Georgia

A battle tested, versatile interior linemen Gailard was a bit of a sleeper leading up to the draft. He will likely serve as a depth player early in his career but could develop into starter down the road for Arizona.

Pick #248- Joshua Mills, OT, Morgan State

Mills is a bit of a project player as he is raw and his technique is under developed after playing against lower competition. He performed well at the East-West Shrine game and has some potential. A year on the practice squad could see him become a serviceable NFL lineman.

Pick #249- Michael Dogbe, DL, Temple

Dogbe made waves during the pre-draft process thanks to some impressive work outs and was thought to be a mid-round pick. This late in the draft he was a great value pick and he has a future as a rotational defensive lineman.

Pick #254 Mr Irrelevant- Caleb Wilson, TE, UCLA

Coming into the 2019 season Wilson was seen as a potential top tight end in this class but his athleticism was shown to be suspect and he fell off drastically. Still this is a pretty good value pick for the last pick of the draft as Wilson was productive in college and could challenge for the third tight ends spot.

Overall Grade: A-

Best Pick- Byron Murphy

Biggest Reach- Keesean Johnson

Best Value- Hakeem Butler