
Arguably the most surprising team of 2008, the Arizona Cardinals made it to their first Super Bowl before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, while there was disappointment in their loss, the fans of Arizona have plenty to be excited for. The Cardinals have a good, young core and they added a great draft class in 2009.
With their first round pick the Cardinals selected Ohio State running back Chris Wells. An outstanding pick with tremendous value, Wells figures to come in and play immediately and help elevate the Cardinals run game after having been one of the worst in the league last season. Wells, my top running back in this year’s draft, has the potential to be a very good player for the Cardinals. In the second round Arizona took Connecticut defensive end Cody Brown. One of the most underrated players in this year’s draft, Brown was also one of the best pure pass rushers in the draft. Considering he also plays good run defense, Brown has a shot to contribute quickly and could compete for a starting job soon.
In the third round Arizona went with Alabama safety Rashad Johnson. One of the smarter players in this year’s draft and an excellent leader, Johnson has all of the tools needed to step in and have an impact right away. He may need to wait a year and develop, but I could see him competing for a starting safety job opposite Adrian Wilson within a year or two.
With their fourth round the Cardinals selected St. Pauls’ cornerback Gregory Toler. A talented player who has had an up and down football career so far, Toler is a player with a very upside, but will need plenty of development. He’s another small-school corner that the Cardinals hope to turn into a starter, seeing as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie developed quickly for them last season. With their fifth round pick they took LSU guard Herman Johnson. A mammoth offensive lineman, Johnson could see time at offensive tackle given how big he is. He needs to work on getting quicker and using his weight better. If he can get those things figured out then he could end up being a very nice starter for the Cardinals.
In the sixth round Arizona took Illinois defensive end Will Davis. A solid end who can rush the passer and play the run equally, Davis had a good workout at the Senior Bowl which raised his stock and impressed scouts. He’ll provide depth as a backup but he’s another player who could develop into a starter down the road.
With their two seventh round picks the Cardinals took Pittsburgh running back LaRod Stephens-Howling and Cincinnati guard Trevor Canfield. Stephens-Howling is a very quick back with excellent agility who backed up LeSean McCoy last season at Pitt. He’s a Darren Sproles-type of scatback who could be a nice third-down player. Canfield was a great value pick in the seventh round. I had him ranked as a fourth or fifth round pick, so to land him here was big. Canfield is a large offensive guard who can drive defenders off the ball and he knows how to use his size to his advantage.
I was impressed with the Cardinals draft this year. They found value and potential steals with several of their picks and they filled their needs with all of their picks. The draft class could be determined by how well Beanie Wells does, however I think that he could end up being a great player for Arizona. Grade: A










