2024 NFL Draft: Terrion Arnold could be the answer at cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals need help at cornerback and the Bama prospect may be the best option.

Over the next couple of weeks, leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft we will take a look at close to 30 prospects to know.

Within that, we will use the excellent work of Dane Brugler, who has just released his “The Beast” 2024 NFL Draft Guide. I highly recommend taking a peek and signing up for The Athletic if only to get Dane’s guide.

It is always an exhaustive work, and he should be commended.

With that said, we will go in order of Dane’s Big Board and use his final analysis as the wrap up of each prospect.

Next up is Dane’s 10th overall player, Terrion Arnold.

Dane’s Take:

A two-year starter at Alabama, Arnold worked primarily at left outside cornerback in former head coach Nick Saban’s scheme and would follow receivers to the slot, depending on the matchup (24.4 percent of snaps inside in 2023). After redshirting in 2021 and playing a part-time role in 2022, he led the SEC in both passes defended (17) and interceptions (five) in 2023 and grew into one of the top cornerbacks in the country.

Arnold is better in zone than in man, but that plays into the strength of the Cardinals defensive scheme. He is good at getting his hands on balls, and was incredibly productive his final season with Bama.

Arnold is fluid when he opens up with speed, gear-down skills and body control to stay in phase with basic or sophisticated routes. With average recovery skills, he needs to continue developing his discipline versus both pass and the run, but his awareness for the football is outstanding, and he plays with urgency in run support.

His physicality and high-end ball skills make him an incredibly valuable asset on the outside.

Overall, Arnold offers an ideal blend of cover athleticism and competitive makeup, with the ball skills to make plays at every level of the field. He is scheme-versatile and has the talent to work inside or outside. He can be an NFL team’s No. 1 cornerback, offering a skill set similar to that of the Chicago Bears’ Jaylon Johnson.

This is where it is interesting. Obviously, Jaylon Johnson has turned into a nearly elite cornerback in his time, but remember, he was drafted in the second round.

His change of direction skill is insane, but his forty time and vertical were just average, and his size isn’t anything special. So, are you confident that his excellent on-ball work will translate outside, or are you just confident that he can be at worst a great slot cornerback?

It is an interesting question the Arizona Cardinals need to answer if it comes up.

Next up… Quinyon Mitchell.