2017 NFL Draft: 5 Realistic First-Round Targets for Arizona Cardinals
By Tyler Olson
The NFL Combine has come and gone in preparation for the NFL Draft. Now pro days are in full swing and the Arizona Cardinals begin forming their big board.
The Cleveland Browns have been on the clock since January and we’re all-but certain that Myles Garrett’ll be the man taken. Arizona will have to wait for 11 other selections to come and go before they’re on the clock.
Just a year removed from a 13-3 season, general manager Steve Kiem has a lot of work to do to get the Cardinals back on top of the NFC West. It starts with adding pieces that can not only get them to the playoffs in 2017 but be a key contributor for years to come.
With the new year starting the draft needs for all 32 teams can and will change on a minute-to-minute basis. Here are five possibilities for Arizona for their first round selection.
5. Sidney Jones, CB – Washington
The find for a starting cornerback is on for the Cardinals. Lucky for them—and the rest of the NFL—the position is stacked in the upcoming draft. Teams can choose from multiple corners, all with first-round talent.
A personal favorite of mine is Washington’s Sidney Jones. The 6-0, 186-pound Junior was a part of a stout Huskies defense that also includes Budda Baker and Kevin King, both of which expect to be drafted by Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
Jones was the ultimate playmaker of the group. His numbers don’t jump completely off the page but sometimes that just means quarterbacks are straying away from his side of the field.
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | TD | PD | FR | FF |
| *2014 | Washington | FR | DB | 13 | 48 | 13 | 61 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| *2015 | Washington | SO | DB | 13 | 30 | 15 | 45 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 3 |
| 2016 | Washington | JR | DB | 14 | 27 | 12 | 39 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| Career | Washington | 105 | 40 | 145 | 8.5 | 1.0 | 8 | 1 | 21 | 3 | 6 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/6/2017.
Production was down his Senior season compared to his first two years on campus. Regardless, he finished both 2015 and 2016 as a First-Team, All-Pac12 selection.
The box score isn’t where you see Jones’ value. All you need to do is watch some tape on him. My favorite play I’ve seen came in 2015 against USC. You can see it below.
I love seeing a corner be able to diagnose a play (correctly) and the ability to disrupt the play. It’s the type of mentality that reminds me a lot of his former teammate Marcus Peters. Realistically anyone with Jones’ ability to change a game can fit in anywhere. Why not, Arizona?