Back in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Cardinals picked fifth overall following their 5-11 performance in the previous season. Instead of opting for the best player on the board, they selected offensive tackle Levi Brown. Brown went over future NFL MVP Adrian Peterson who went a few picks later and future all-pros such as Marshawn Lynch and Patrick Willis. Had they changed their strategy, the Cardinals could have turned the tide a few years later when they eventually lost to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. 

Now in 2025, players like Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Matthew Golden, and offensive tackles like Armand Membou from Missouri have been seen as almost afterthoughts for the Cardinals when they make their selection come April. However, the Cardinals have the ability to take those guys should they feel they have a chance to become special talents in the league. 

Receiver is still a question mark for the Cardinals, who could call on either Marvin Harrison Jr. or Michael Wilson to play in the slot given productive years. Adding a guy who can play out of the slot like Egbuka or someone outside like Golden, both of whom are natural separators, can free up a lot for Drew Petzing’s passing offense, along with giving Trey Mcbride and the aforementioned Harrison a lot more wiggle room to create a dynamic offense behind a sneakily underrated offensive line.

Egbuka is known for his great run blocking, along with his work in the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, the Ohio State wideout played 548 of his 786 snaps out of the slot position. Egbuka also has a high 2.51 yards per route run and a 59.6% contested catch grade. He is a do-it-all receiver that would be a reliable target in the offense. 

Golden is more of a deep threat, a guy who can run a blazing 4.29-second 40-yard dash while also performing in high-leverage situations. According to ESPN, Golden had 149 receiving yards and a big fourth-and-13 conversion against Arizona State and compiled eight catches for 162 yards against Georgia in the SEC Championship. On top of that, Golden also registered 23 catches of 20+ yards. Since Christian Kirk left for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cardinals have lacked that explosive, big-play threat down the field, and Golden would fill that void as well as anyone in the draft. 

As for the cornerback position, Max Melton came on strong at the end of the year and Garrett Williams is blossoming in the slot, but there are still concerns about who the true outside corner of the future is. Will Johnson is a zone corner, which is very similar to a system the Cardinals run that sets the corner room up for success for the next few years. According to Stat Muse, the Cardinals ran the second most plays in zone coverage, trailing only behind the Chicago Bears. Johnson is also someone who has met with the Cardinals and will be performing workouts in Arizona prior to the draft.

Armand Membou is a guy the Cardinals would most likely have to trade up for, which seems low given how much general manager Monti Ossenfort has valued picks so far, but he would be a perfect fit for the system the Cardinals run. Membou was an excellent run blocker in 2024, as evidenced by a run block grade of 87.6 according to PFF, which bodes well for a run-heavy scheme in Arizona. Membou would also be able to start right away, as the Cardinals have a hole at guard that Membou is able to fill in for before moving to tackle later on.

That being said, drafting an edge rusher or a defensive tackle wouldn’t be a bad move, especially if Ossenfort and the Cardinals brass believe that they can craft him into a star player such as James Pearce Jr., Shemar Stewart, Kenneth Grant and Derrick Harmon. But in a draft like this, going best player on the board over reaching for a guy who could go later on would set Arizona up for a better future and is something to consider as late April approaches.