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2015 NFL Mock Draft: Arizona Cardinals should draft linebacker

By Nick Ziegler

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In 2014, the Arizona Cardinals had one of the better defenses in the NFL.

But in ESPN’s Todd McShay’s most recent 2015 NFL mock draft, they will wisely be looking to improve that defense with an inside linebacker.

Last season, ILB Daryl Washington put the Cardinals in a tough spot. He was suspended for the entire 2014 season because of violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The talented Washington has had his fair share of issues. He missed four games in 2013 for substance abuse and also was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault after an altercation with his ex-girlfriend.

What is inside linebacker Daryl Washington’s future with the Arizona Cardinals after he was suspended for all of the 2014 season?

Washington is under contact by the Cardinals through 2018, but it’s almost impossible for the Cardinals to have any faith in him.

With Washington out, it was Larry Foote and Kevin Minter getting a majority of the playing time at ILB in the Cardinals’ 3-4 defense, and that was a weak point of the defense. Minter struggled in his second season in the NFL after being forced into more playing time due to the suspension of Washington, as in 16 games he had just 44 tackles with one sack.

The 34-year old veteran Foote was solid for the Cardinals with 84 tackles and one interception. Foote is a free agent this offseason and with his best days behind him, the Cardinals have to think about a replacement.

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Following an 11-5 season and a playoff appearance, Arizona  has the 24th pick in the NFL Draft. With that selection, they should be looking to draft the University of Miami’s Denzel Perryman to help an area of need in their defense.

Perryman has been a tackling-machine in his last two seasons at Miami. In the past two seasons with the Hurricanes he totaled over 100 stops each year. Perryman has earned individual accolades throughout his college career; He was a freshman All-American in 2011, First Team All-ACC in 2013 and 2014 was a Dick Butkus Award finalist in his junior and senior seasons.

Perryman’s size should be good in the 3-4. He is close to 250 pounds and should be able to shed the blocks of NFL linemen.

Scouts like Perryman at the next level as Derek Stephens, and Rob Rang of CBSSports.com said: “Despite lacking desirable height, Perryman has the look of a prototypical inside ‘backer with a stout, thick frame. He is an instinctive and tough in-the-box defender who showed improved closing speed and explosiveness as a hitter in 2014…”

“He’s difficult to latch onto at the second level due to strong, active hands, agile feet and good use of leverage when taking on bigger blockers, and he exhibits good burst and solid angles to either sideline when asked to pursue plays on the edges. Good lower-body flexibility to sprawl or dead-leg would-be blockers, slipping by them.”

It’s a strong possibility that Perryman will be the first ILB and the only ILB taken in the first round of the draft, but he is certainly a first-round talent, and will draw interest from multiple teams, as he is the best ILB in the draft.

Next: Where Will DeMarco Murray Sign in 2015?

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