With the completion of the 2024 NFL draft, the next logical thing to do is to grade it for every team, even though none of the players selected have even been in an NFL practice.
The Arizona Cardinals had the largest draft classes in the league, selecting a total of 12 players.
According to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, they might have had the best draft class as well. He gave them an A-plus for the draft.
The Cardinals came into this draft with a roster as bereft of top-line talent as any in the NFL, and general manager Monti Ossenfort did his level best to reverse that curse. The pick of Marvin Harrison Jr. is obvious, and he reminds me of Larry Fitzgerald — another highly-drafted Cardinals receiver. Seems to me that worked out pretty well. Ossenfort also loaded up on My Guys with Darius Robinson (a multi-gap terror), Trey Benson (who reminds me of Isiah Pacheco), Max Melton (a great man/match cornerback), Elijah Jones (maybe the best pure island cornerback in this class), and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (my favorite safety overall).
A sleeper to watch is Clemson’s Xavier Thomas, who had 43 quarterback pressures last season, and foiled blockers on the edge, and when he kicked inside in passing situations.
Just hit after hit for Ossenfort and his staff. Right now, this looks like the best haul in the 2024 draft.
Harrison is easy to like as a player. He appears to be a lock to be great. Come believe Benson is the best back in the draft. Melton and Jones are very athletic corners.
Taylor-Demerson has a real chance to play in the Cardinals’ three-safety sets.
There are nice fits early. I’m not as in love with their Day 3 picks, but Thomas is intriguing.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
