The Arizona Cardinals have the 16th pick in the 2025 NFL draft and have a number of needs. In a new mock draft of the first round by Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon, they bolster their defensive line.
They select Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.
The Cardinals are facing potentially major free agent losses on both lines, so restocking the trenches with NFL-ready talents seems like a sound plan. Grant is a freaky athlete for his considerable size, and he might be the best lineman in the country at getting his hands into passing lanes.
Adding another defensive lineman is another big investment. They drafted Darius Robinson in the first round last year and spent a lot on three-year deals for Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols.
However, with defensive linemen L.J. Collier, Roy Lopez, Naquan Jones and Khyiris Tonga all set to be free agents, the Cardinals do need to add bodies, and adding a potential impact player to the group would never hurt.
At 6-foot-3 and over 330 pounds, he is expected to impress at the combine. He knocked down five passes in each of the last two seasons and had 6.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss over that time.
The Cardinals arguably have a greater need on the edge, but with the top three edge rushers already off the board in this mock draft, this position makes sense.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
