Dane Brugler’s seven-round mock draft for the Cardinals has no surprise in Round 1.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, one week before the actual 2025 NFL draft, released a seven-round mock draft. That is quite a task, projecting all 257 picks of the draft. for the Arizona Cardinals, they make a very predictable selection in the first round and, from there, go in different directions than what might be expected.
Let’s have a look at the picks and break them down.
Arizona Cardinals 7-round mock draft
- Round 1 (No. 16 overall): Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams
- Round 2 (No. 47 overall): Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel
- Round 3 (No. 78 overall): Ohio State DT Ty Hamilton
- Round 4 (No. 115 overall): LSU OL Emory Jones
- Round 5 (No. 152 overall): Arizona RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt
- Round 7 (No. 225 overall): Miami LB Francisco Mauigoa
Mock draft analysis
Williams is an expected pick for the Cardinals. They have been heavily invested in improving the defensive line and defensive edge. Williams is a high-floor prospect with great physical traits who already is a good run defender and could be a very productive pass rusher.
Noel makes sense on paper. People outside of the organization will see that the Cardinals’ receivers outside of Marvin Harrison Jr. are Michael Wilson, Zay Jones and Greg Dortch and believe they will target a receiver. In the second round, this might not be the case and, while Noel is a speedster, he is only 5-foot-10 and the Cardinals have been adding receivers over the last two years who are at least six feet tall.
Hamilton is part of a deep defensive tackle class, so this makes sense and probably makes Dante Stills be on the trading block.
Jones would give the Cardinals more tackle/guard depth. He probably has a higher ceiling than Christian Jones, whom they drafted last year in the fifth round.
Croskey-Merritt would be an interesting pick. He has good potential but only played in one game last season because of eligibility issues. He was good in the Shrine Bowl and has starter potential.
Mauigoa had 96 tackles and 11 tackles for loss last year for Miami after 82 tackles and a conference-leading 18 tackles for loss in 2023.
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