According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, the Cardinals will select two CBs in the mock draft.
In his most recent two-round mock NFL Draft, ESPN analyst Matt Miller has the team double down on defensive backs, one month after the Arizona Cardinals gave up the fourth-highest completion percentage in the league last season (68.6%).
According to Miller, the Cardinals will select Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the 16th overall pick in the first round, and Shavon Revel Jr. of East Carolina with the 47th overall pick in the second round. According ESPN’s Matt Miller.
Miller believes Barron may be a good addition to veteran safety Budda Baker, who just finished his greatest season as a professional, even though the Cardinals have needs at several areas, most notably pass rusher.
The Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the top defensive back in collegiate football, went to Barron in 2024. In his award-winning season, he recorded 67 tackles, five interceptions, one sack, and eleven passes defended. According ESPN’s Matt Miller.
With problems at wide receiver, cornerback, and defensive end, the Cardinals might take a variety of routes. After switching from slot cornerback to outside before the 2024 season, Barron won the Jim Thorpe Award. He elevated his profile from a Day 3 pick to one of my top 15 players in the class with five interceptions and ten pass breakups. While some teams may appreciate Barron’s tape on the outside, others may see him as an inside corner. The Cardinals’ back end immediately improves when Budda Baker plays him on the inside.
Shavon Revel Jr. is added by the Cardinals in Round 2 of the most recent mock draft.
Before an ACL tear ended Revel’s 2024, he participated in three games. In the brief performance, he recorded eight tackles, two interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown), and two passes defended.
He had recorded 54 total tackles, 13 passes defended, one interception, and one sack the year before. He also scored a touchdown after recovering a fumble.
Similar to Morrison, Revel was the subject of first-round rumors before to his ACL tear in September. Revel is the height and quickness to be the matchup cornerback the Cardinals need at 6-foot-3, 193 pounds.
Two Wildcats from Arizona place in the top 64.
Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona’s outstanding wide receiver, was selected ninth overall by Miller and sent to the New Orleans Saints.
In addition to Chris Olave, McMillan provides the Saints with a wide receiver who can spread the field. McMillan had 84 receptions for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns at the end of 2024. McMillan caught 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023, his sophomore season.
Chris Olave, who only appeared in eight games last season, is excellent when healthy, but the Saints don’t have any other impact receivers. The 6-foot-5 McMillan may fit because of this. After the reception, he can gain even more yards and win further down the field. He reminds me of Drake London of the Falcons, a 2022 first-round choice, with his range and ability to win 50-50 balls. How McMillan performs at the combine will have a significant impact on his draft stock because his pull-away speed at the professional level is a source of concern. However, based just on his footage, he is among the finest receivers in this class; in 2024, he finished third in the nation with 1,319 receiving yards.
Miller’s mock selection also includes Jonah Savaiinaea, an offensive lineman. Savaiinaea gives the Baltimore Ravens a youthful appearance in the trenches, and he is selected 27th overall.
The top five players on my list are gone, and there are no early-Round 2 players worth pursuing here, but wide receiver might be the perfect choice if Baltimore signs left tackle Ronnie Stanley before he enters free agency. Instead, Baltimore might acquire the strong and adaptable Savaiinaea as a replacement for free agent guard Patrick Mekari. Savaiinaea, a 6-foot-4, 339-pound player with 34 5/8-inch arms, has experience at left tackle, right guard, and right tackle. Additionally, he would add more youth to the Ravens’ front line, where youngster Roger Rosengarten performed admirably this season.
