The Arizona Cardinals had four third-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft and used the final of them, the 90th selection overall, on cornerback Elijah Jones out of Boston College.
He was the second of three cornerbacks the Cardinals drafted.
Jones is another good pick, although some experts would argue the value.
Selected 90th overall and in the third round, Dane Brugler had a fifth-round projection and he was prospect No. 130 for Daniel Jeremiah.
Based on that, he was a reach.
He is nearly 6-foot-2 and weighed in at 185 pounds at the combine. He is a freak athlete, posting a 4.44-second 40, a 42.5-inch vertical leap and 131-inch broad jump.
He is old for a draftee, having played six seasons in college. He is already 24 years old and will turn 25 in January.
But he is a ballhawk. He had five interceptions in nine games last season and, over his last two seasons, he picked off seven passes and broke up 28 passes in 20 games. That is incredible on-ball production.
He had a four-game absence with a non-injury issue he would not elaborate on after he was drafted but the team was clearly ok with it.
He profiles similarly to new Cardinals cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting.
If he can’t crack the defensive rotation, he has experience on special teams, starting four years as a punt gunner, and this athleticism will be helpful there.
He has a high upside. His value where he was drafted compared to where he was expected to go is not great. And the Cardinals could have targeted a pass rusher like Jalyx Hunt or Adita Isaac at No. 90.
That said, he is a good fit, could play but perhaps the Cardinals should have gone with a different position at that point.
This selection deserves a B-plus.
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