Often the focus of the NFL draft is on the players team select in the first round. Those should be the best players. But the Arizona Cardinals have had some Day 2 successes over the years — safety Tyrann Mathieu, running back David Johnson, linebacker Markus Golden, safety Budda Baker, cornerback Garrett Williams, tight end Trey McBride and others.
The Cardinals have picks in the second and third rounds and there are some solid players to choose from.
PFF highlighted their favorite players at each position as Day 2 prospects.
Some of these players are worth knowing for the Cardinals.
Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel
A receiver on Day 2 would not be out of the question for the Cardinals, and Noel, despite not meeting the 6-foot minimum it seems the Cardinals have for any new receiver they bring in, he is fast, athletic and a playmaker. He has a 41.5-inch vertical leap to go with 4.39-second speed in the 40, so the 5-10 frame is mitigated.
Ohio State G Donovan Jackson
If the Cardinals don't draft a tackle in the first round, Jackson in Round 2 is a perfect fit. He was a high-level guard and proved he can hang at tackle, finishing the season as the Buckeyes' starting left tackle after Josh Simmons' knee injury. And he his position coach was Justin Frye, now the Cardinals' O-line coach.
Minnesota T Aireontae Ersery
New Cardinals defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere will know him as he coached Minnesota's defensive line last year. Ersery could end up selected in the first round with his 6-foot-6 and 331-pound frame and his athleticism.
Michigan EDGE Josaiah Stewart
Stewart is undersized at 6-foot-1 and 249 pounds but he had 14 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in two seasons for Michigan. He led all prospects with a PFF overall grade (93.7) and pass-rush win rate (41.2%) on true pass sets.
UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger
The Cardinals certainly could use youth at linebacker and a long-term answer. He is 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds with explosiveness (39.5-inch vertical leap). He led the nation with 90 solo tackles. He had 136 total tackles last season, nine tackles for loss, four sacks and two interceptions.
East Carolina CB Shavon Revel
He is coming off a torn ACL, so the Cardinals could do what they did with Garrett Williams, who was drafted in the third round coming off a torn ACL.
Opposing quarterbacks tested Revel's coverage 43 times in 2023 but completed just 19 of them for 250 yards and one score. He picked off just one pass but dropped four other potential picks and broke up 11 passes for an impressive forced incompletion percentage of 25.6%.
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