Round 2: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State
Injuries decimated the Cardinals offensive line last season. Protecting Rosen is the first responsibility of the line. Arizona selects offensive tackle Andre Dillard to accomplish the goal of protecting Rosen.
Dillard played collegiately for Mike Leach at Washington State. Kingsbury played for Leach at Texas Tech under the same offensive scheme. Dillard should immediately understand the Cardinals new offense.
At the NFL Combine, Dillard stood 6-5, weighing 315 pounds. He bench pressed 225 pounds 29 times and ran a swift 4.96-second 40-yard dash. He is both strong and fast. At Washington State, he played left tackle for the majority of his college career. As a redshirt senior, he allowed just one sack in 677 pass attempts. Most of all, he is projected to become an instant starter in the NFL.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com gives the following overview of Dillard:
"… outstanding feet who offers an instant athletic upgrade for teams getting battered from the blind-side… While he could play with a little more ferocity as a finisher, he has the athletic ability to make all the blocks and the protection talent to become a good, early starter on the left side."
Dillard gives the Cardinals the type of lineman to match the offensive scheme. He might need some time to become acclimated to the speed of the game.