2022 NFL Draft: Arizona Cardinals beef up their lines, add offensive talent in new 2022 NFL Mock Draft

Happy Friday one and all.

I am off to Las Vegas for a meetup with my co-host of The Original Draft Breakdown Podcast, but we will still have plenty of fun things to discuss over the weekend and an open thread for Sunday’s Super Bowl.

However, it is Friday which means it is time for a new mock draft.

This one is a three round from me, where I work through another trade that was offered to me, this time the Buffalo Bills came up and offered 25 and 89 for 23 and 177 so the Bills could draft Kaiir Elam (Note: Don’t ask me, I don’t know how they make value trades in these simulators, I just accept or reject).

Round 1 Pick 25 – (Best available on the PFF Big Board – Trent McDuffie, Bernhard Raimann, Kenyon Green)

Pick – Kenyon Green, OL – Texas A&M

Green is listed at 6-4 325lbs, played right guard in 2019, left guard in 2020 and all over the line in 2021 for the Aggies. He is likely going to test well, just based on the eye test, and held up well against some of the best the SEC and should thrive in the zone running scheme of the Cardinals.

Trade – Denver Broncos trade up to 55 and get Arizona Cardinals pick 200, Arizona Cardinals get picks 64 and 96. Broncos take Kingsley Enagbare.

Round 2 Pick 64 – (Best available – Jalen Pitre, Dylan Parham, Travis Jones)

Pick – Travis Jones, DT – UConn

This was a tough one because I love Pitre and his game would fit what Vance Joseph likes to do. However, the Cardinals desperately need a boundary corner, not another slot corner. Instead, I get the 6-4 330lbs Jones who can slot in as a run stopping nose tackle in the Cardinals 3-4 defense and likely help out the last two first round picks in Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins.

We now have three picks remaining, as we added 89 and 96.

Round 3 Pick 87 –

Pick – Dylan Parham, OL – Memphis

I did not pull the trigger at 64 because I have some concern about Parham’s weight, but he measured in at the Senior Bowl at 6-2 313lbs after being listed sub 290 everywhere during the season. What cannot be denied was his play this year and the fact that at the Senior Bowl, he was dynamic working at both guard and center, still maintaining that elite quickness and using his leverage well to anchor against bigger players. Parham has the feeling of a center, and what would it be like to start preparing for the future when the vets are ready to move on?

Round 3 Pick 89 – (Best available – Marcus Jones, Dameon Pierce, Kyren Williams)

Pick – Jeremy Ruckert, TE – Ohio State

Ruckert is a really good blocking tight end at worst, and showed good size, speed and hands at the Senior Bowl. He came in at 6-5 250lbs, and showed that he can be an offensive weapon as well. This gives the Cardinals the added benefit of only needing to bring back one of Zach Ertz or Maxx Williams.

Round 3 Pick 96 – (Best available – Marcus Jones, Dameon Pierce, Kyren Williams)

Pick – Tyler Allgeier, RB – BYU

My final pick in this mock grabbed me a dynamic, physical running back to pair with James Conner or Chase Edmonds, whoever the Cardinals decide to bring back. Allgeier is listed at 5-11 220lbs and will allegedly run in the 4.4’s. He is physical and should thrive in the Cardinals run game.