2017 NFL Draft: 5 Second-Round Options For The Arizona Cardinals
By Tyler Olson
The Arizona Cardinals have one pick to make in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft. They’ll have plenty of great options.
General manager Steve Keim is less than three weeks away from bringing in a new draft class to the Arizona Cardinals organization. It’s an exciting time for fans just like it is for the team. Keim has a number of options he can go in the first round. Will he target the future at quarterback and eventual successor to Carson Palmer? How about a running mate alongside Patrick Peterson? Better yet, a new receiver to follow in the footsteps of eventual hall-of-fame wideout Larry Fitzgerald?
Whatever he does it’ll shape what happens in round two. Taking Deshaun Watson at 13th overall could force Keim’s hand into honing in on a new target in the second round. A cornerback in Round 1 could mean he’s comfortable waiting until the 2nd day for someone like Davis Webb, Brad Kaaya or DeShone Kizer.
Though it’s dependent upon the first round, let’s take a look at five possible second-round targets for the Arizona Cardinals.
5. Desmond King, CB/S – Iowa
It was a tough offseason seeing both Tony Jefferson and DJ Swearinger leave Glendale for bigger contracts. While both earned it, Keim now has to find a replacement for both of them. One piece was added with Antoine Bethea. But at 32 years of age he’s only got one or two years left of productivity.
Keim needs that versatile piece in his secondary to help in any way possible. Desmond King had a historic career at Iowa, winning the Jim Thorpe Award his junior season while leading the Hawkeye defense to a Rose Bowl bid. Iowa struggled in 2016, but it wasn’t because of King. He followed up his junior year of picking off eight passes (tied with the great Nile Kinnick in Iowa history) with three more as a senior. Throughout his tenure he had 14 interceptions, good for fourth on the Iowa all-time list.
King was a ballhawk for the Hawkeye defense, but he was just as valuable in the run game. He finished his career with 263 tackles, 174 of which were solo. With the versatility to play corner or safety, King would be a solid fit for Keim in Arizona.