An 8-9 mark in 2024 provided a foundation to build on for Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon. While minimal draft capital could force the Cardinals to get flexible on all three days, here is an early look at where Arizona could go in this full 7-round mock draft.
Round 1 (No. 16 overall): Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
A player with one of the highest floors in the class, Donovan Jackson is a plug-and-play starter for the next 10 years without batting an eye. Arizona's front five mostly returns, but no one has the talent of the former Buckeye, who could also bump out to tackle if need be.
Round 2 (No. 47 overall): Joshua Farmer, IDL, Florida State
If it tells you anything, there’s a handful of teams that have first-round grades on Joshua Farmer. While he isn’t expected to make the same impact that fellow Seminoles products in Jared Verse or Braden Fiske made from day one, Farmer is a disruptive interior force with the power and explosiveness to progress into a serviceable starter for Arizona.
Round 3 (No. 78 overall): Pooh Paul, LB, Ole Miss
An athletic move piece in the middle of defense, Pooh Paul is an enforcer in the heart of the front seven. Work is needed in his coverage ability, but he’s a player that you can build around in the middle. The second-team All-SEC selection was a finalist for the Butkus Award in 2024, an award given to the nation’s top LB each year.
Round 4 (No. 115 overall): Jaylin Smith, DB, USC
Jaylin Smith’s versatility is what really moves the needle here. Arizona has some talent on the outside and at safety, but adding a player like Smith would only help in building depth while adding positional flex on the backend. He’s an elite competitor in whatever role he would be asked to fill from day one, and if it were my bet, he’s a player who will outplay his draft slot quickly in his NFL career. I like the fit here for Jonathan Gannon’s group, where adding young, versatile, productive college defenders is never a bad approach.
Round 5 (No. 152 overall): BJ Mayes, CB, Texas A&M
A transfer from Incarnate Word via UAB, BJ Mayes had a nice campaign in 2024 for the Aggies. He looks the part at 6-foot-1, has excellent coverage ability, and competes his tail off on every rep. Whether he initially begins his career as a special teamer or as a rotational corner, Mayes is a name to know in a wide-open corner class.
Round 7 (No. 225 overall): Sulaiman Kpaka, DT, Mississippi State
I like to use these selections to introduce players to the audience who are currently unknown to the public eye. Sulaiman Kpaka is a twitched-up ballplayer at 300 pounds with the ability to slide up and down a defensive front as both an odd-front nose or even-front 1-tech. He’s got excellent hands, a heck of a pass-rush repertoire, and is a name to keep an eye on as the process continues. He has a shot to become one of the sleepers of the class.
