Cardinals Drafted Future "X Factor"

Rutgers CB Max Melton looks to make an instant impact.

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers defensive back Max Melton (DB26) talks to the media / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals added plenty of talent through the 2024 NFL Draft, though Rutgers CB Max Melton has to be one of the more exciting selections.

Sure, a second-round pick shouldn't exactly fly as "under the radar", though Arizona opted to move back and ultimately passed on top corners such as Cooper DeJean and Kool-Aid McKinstry at the top of the order.

It wasn't a fan-favorite by any stretch, though the Cardinals are convinced Melton can play at a high level, and so too are some analysts.

"The Cardinals are trying to establish a culture in Year 2 of the Monti Ossenfort-Jonathan Gannon regime, and Rutgers corner Max Melton fits the mold," wrote ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler.

"The Cardinals valued Melton's team-first approach, the intangibles that don't show up on a standard draft profile. He stayed at Rutgers despite NIL opportunities elsewhere, betting big on Greg Schiano's ability to shepherd defensive backs in the NFL (such as Devin and Jason McCourty and Logan Ryan). And Melton doesn't view special teams as a chore, but something he loves. He blocked four punts for the Scarlet Knights."

One NFL personnel evaluator told Fowler, "He'll be an X factor for them."

Athletically, Melton tests among the best at his position group from a historical perspective.

Max Melton is a CB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 9.09 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 225 out of 2473 CB from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/ALdKMZ2lPa pic.twitter.com/3u7AUipU68

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 23, 2024

Melton played against some of the best receivers during his time in the Big Ten and is capable of playing both on the boundary and in the slot.

“I had about 20 [minutes] with him. Just his seriousness and intensity, honestly. This guy's a very serious person. The mentality that we're looking for fits the price of admission and (after) having him talk through some things I could tell he was very well schooled, well-trained, well coached and he understood what they were trying to get done there," said Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon.

"I really fell in love with his mindset, his attitude and his demeanor. He walked down and I was like that's a serious person and I liked that.”