2025 NFL Draft Grades: Arizona Cardinals

Best Pick: Third-round edge Jordan Burch was a big-time recruit coming out of high school and last season flashed that talent. He has pass-rush skills outside and inside, which the Cardinals needed.

Worst Pick: It's not that second-round corner Will Johnson doesn't have talent, but it's his health concerns that worried teams. He also didn't run a 40, and his speed is a concern. But he does have great ball skills.

The Skinny: I liked what they did. They addressed major needs on defense with their first three picks. First-round pick Walter Nolen adds a nice push-the-pocket player to the defense. Burch and fourth-round linebacker Cody Simon both could be steals.

Top needs entering the draft: Wide receiver, guard and cornerback

The Cardinals finished 8-9 last season, taking a clear step forward in coach Jonathan Gannon's second year in charge. Though their defense wasn't amazing -- they ranked 23rd in yards per play allowed, 25th in yards per rush allowed and 28th in pass rush win rate -- they're trending up, and the free agent signing of Josh Sweat should give the pass rush a boost. They have clear needs on that side of the ball, though, and I thought they needed to leave this draft with multiple defensive starters.

That's exactly what they did, taking defenders with their first five picks. Walter Nolen is a super-talented defensive tackle, but I thought he went a little high at No. 16. He has upside as a pass rusher, sure, but there's risk; he's inconsistent from down to down. Cornerback Will Johnson could be a Round 2 steal -- he ended up No. 11 on my Big Board. He's coming off an injury-plagued season, and I know his medicals were a big reason for his slide into Day 2. Based on his tape, though, he can shut down wideouts. And he fills a hole: The Arizona defense allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 69% of passes last season, which ranked 29th.

Jordan Burch, a five-star recruit out of high school, can play multiple positions along the defensive front. Arizona took two Buckeyes -- linebacker Cody Simon and cornerback Denzel Burke -- who have a ton of experience. Simon went about a round early based on my board, while Burke looked like a top-50 pick on tape at times. I'd love to see him fulfill his talent. Hayden Conner is my 18th-ranked guard, and I thought he might go undrafted. I'm not totally sold that any of the Cardinals' Day 3 picks will make an impact.

Overall, GM Monti Ossenfort tried to beef up a clear weakness, and I can't fault him there. I'm surprised he didn't take a wideout in a class full of solid players, though. If Johnson becomes a starter, this class could be just fine.

The Cardinals get my award for the Highest Variance Draft this year. If everything breaks right for Monti Ossenfort, Jonathan Gannon, and Co., this team could make a huge jump on defense—but the team's top three picks also come with plenty of question marks. Arizona grabbed Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen with the team's first pick, adding a twitchy and disruptive interior penetrator to their defensive front. But Nolen's consistency is an issue, and he too often plays out of control. The team scooped up incredible potential value in the second round in grabbing Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, but health is a big concern after he battled shoulder and toe injuries last year. And Oregon edge rusher Jordan Burch has a big, rugged frame and plenty of athleticism, but in college his engine didn't always run as hot as you'd like to see—leaving uncertainty about his upside in the pros. Overall, I like the talent this team picked up, but the range of outcomes is as wide as can be.

Adding splashy defensive tackle Walter Nolen in the first round was an ideal final touch to a masterful offseason dedicated to improving Arizona's front. Nolen has some boom or bust to him, but the talent is undeniable and Jonathan Gannon's proven ability to develop defenders makes him an intriguing investment.

If healthy, cornerback Will Johnson offers top-10 talent at a discount price as the No. 47 overall pick. Jordan Burch is an intriguing talent who could pop in Gannon's scheme, as well. While I'm excited for all the improvements made to Arizona's defense in this draft, I question if enough was done to upgrade the offensive line, tempering my enthusiasm for this group, overall.

Here's why: I love this draft class. The Cardinals had a clear plan to upgrade their defense and took some big swings on talented players in Walter Nolen and Will Johnson to start their draft class. They doubled down on the defensive line with the selection of do-it-all defensive lineman Jordan Burch from Oregon and took an upside pick with Denzel Burke on Day 3. They must feel pretty good about where they are on offense because they didn't get a pick there until the sixth round with guard Hayden Conner.

Most interesting pick: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Johnson fell down the board due to injury concerns that have plagued him for the past year, but if he can reach his ceiling, this is a home run pick for the Cardinals. Johnson has legitimate CB1 upside and in the second round it was a more than fine enough risk to take him there.

Could be an especially wide variance of outcomes with their first two picks, first-round DT Walter Nolen and CB Will Johnson — the latter's knee likely to determine if he was a steal or a player with diminishing returns. Third-rounder Jordan Burch joins a D-line that may be morphing from weakness to strength.

Arizona finally added some defensive talent, which should allow coach Jonathan Gannon to fully operate his scheme. Nolen is a boom-or-bust prospect, but if the Cardinals are right about him, he's capable of doing what Jalen Carter does in the middle of the Eagles' defensive line. Arizona also rolled the dice on Johnson, a talented cornerback who fell from the first round due to medical concerns. Johnson, however, claims to be healthy and could be an immediate impact player. Arizona went all defense with its first five picks.

The Cardinals aren't going to be on the receiving end of any ridicule, they knocked this thing out of the park. GM Monti Ossenfort landed two of the top 20 defensive players in this class in Ole Miss Walter Nolen and Michigan cornerback Will Johnson. If you want to know how Jonathan Gannon feels about their class, just go watch his reaction to when they drafted Nolen; he looks like Maury Povich just told him he's not the father. They spent all but one pick on the defense, and the one offensive player was a guard. They want that defense to take the next step.