2020 NFL Draft grades for every team: Cowboys ace test, Packers falter
By Randy Gurzi
Arizona Cardinals
In the first round of the draft, the Arizona Cardinals were one of the teams that decided to forgo a massive need with their first pick and instead took the top player on their board. At No. 8 overall, they decided not to land an offensive tackle which was their top need as Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons was still on the board.
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Simmons is a freakish athlete that can play multiple positions as he lined up at linebacker, safety, and cornerback for the Clemson Tigers. He’ll be best served to find one home at the next level and perfect that craft but there’s no doubt he can still be a massive chess piece on defense.
Arizona was fortunate to still land a solid offensive tackle with their next pick, which wasn’t until the third round. After trading their first day two pick to the Houston Texans for DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals had to wait until pick No. 72 to draft again and they landed Houston offensive tackle Josh Jones.
While Jones isn’t a finished product, he did enter the draft with a lot of hype and at one point was considered a late-first round prospect. He needs to work some on his pass protection but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him turn into a legit left tackle for Arizona.
The Cards also landed a great value with their selection of Utah nose tackle Leki Fotu. Considering they don’t offer much on third-downs, nose tackles can often be overlooked but a player with Fotu’s disruptiveness is always good to have.
Grade: B+