Grading Arizona Cardinals' 2024 NFL Draft Class

How did Arizona's draft picks pan out at first glance?

Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson greets NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and shows off his / Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK

ARIZONA- - The Arizona Cardinals had the benefit of universal need.

With that knowledge in his back pocket, GM Monti Ossenfort knew he had the ability to pick from a wide variety of talent; regardless of what positions he chose to address, it would be almost a guarantee to be a talent upgrade.

Arizona made 12 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, the most in the NFL, and the most by a team since 1992. They had a lot of swings at the plate, and certainly came away with more than some singles. There's high potential in almost every player taken, and many--if not all--of said picks will be in the immediate position to take or fight for a starting role.

Here are my grades for each individual pick. Keep in mind, this is a grade of the players themselves and what they bring to the Cardinals. This is not solely based on overal pick value or whether or not picks may have been a reach. This is about their skillsets, attributes and how likely they are to be an impact player in the Valley, even if that may be long-term.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Grade: A+

What's higher than an A+? This is like getting a 5 on an AP exam, or getting the extra credit on a test you already aced.

The pick was simple, and the choice was obvious. Would a trade back have helped this organization long-term? Absolutely, no question about it, but what Marvin Harrison Jr., brings to this team goes beyond an automatic WR1. He is a consistent, physical WR with Hall of Fame potential (and the pedigree from his father). The Cardinals made the right choice bringing in their next franchise cornerstone with the No. 4 pick. He's fast, smooth, makes contested catches and produces regardless of who's throwing him the ball. Get ready, because this is the new face of the franchise, and that's a good thing.

Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri

Grade: A-

Again, the Cardinals had a bevy of options to address an extremely thin defensive line. Robinson isn't the most athletic guy on the field, but he does bring the energy, intensity and tools to be an extremely disruptive presence on the D-line. He has the versatility to move around and play DT or EDGE, as Gannon and Rallis are likely to have him do. He fits the mental, physical and skill preferences of this team and he'll most likely instantly be the best passrusher on this team, with respect to Dennis Gardeck and Zaven Collins.

Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

Grade: B

I can't help but wonder if Cooper DeJean or Kool-Aid McKinstry are the better prospects, or if moving from 35 to 43 was a mistake. That said, Melton comes with some very high praise, endorsements from analysts and insiders, and an impressive resume. He might not bring in tons of picks, but he did record multiple in three straight years, and he never shies away from a matchup. If Melton can hold Marvin Harrison Jr. himself to 4 receptions and 25 yards, he can hold his own with NFL-caliber receivers, and his confidence plus the track record of steady improvement make him the right mold to be developed by Gannon and Rallis. He has an ability to be versatile in the secondary, and comes with exceptional athleticism.

Gannon was shown after the call was made, and he looked incredibly psyched to take Melton. He'd been on the Cardinals' radar for a while, and the young corner could very well become a major component of Arizona's secondary.

Trey Benson, RB, Florida State

Grade: A

This is close to a slam dunk pick. James Conner, despite producing at a career level last season, is not only starting to get up there in age, but also known to struggle with some injuries. Especially considering he was Arizona's only ground option last year, they desperately needed a solid RB2, and an heir-apparent to Conner's physical dominance nad production.

Benson is the exact right archetype of back to be just that, but with an exceptional improvement in speed and agility. He still boasts an imposing 6-foot, 216-pound build, but with highly-graded athleticism and agility. His one catch is the ability to shift from a speedster to a more between-the-tackles rumble back like Conner, but it's very doable for him. He picked up 1,000 total yards in back to back seasons, (over 900 rushing per year) and 23 touchdowns at FSU. There is a very small bust potential, if he can't adjust to the pace and speed of NFL defenses, but I expect him to immediately get some carries to help take some of the load off of Conner.

Isaiah Adams, OL, Illinois

Grade: C-

I don't love this pick or this prospect, especially with Cooper Beebe available, who went two picks later. The Cardinals needed a stud LG, and while Adams certainly can become that, he doesn't seem incredibly NFL ready yet. He played six years of college football, but only two of them were for a Division I program. He spent two seasons in Canada and two seasons at a junior college before landing at Illinois. There's nothing wrong with that, and it's a positive to see him working his way up, but it doesn't bode well for translating to the NFL, especially right away. He's a bit soft in the run game and not the most explosive OL out there, either.

Still there is upside to his reliability, availability and work ethic, as well as his record of improving each year. He's a Gannon type player, and there's not much reason to worry too much yet.

Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois

Grade: B+

Cardinals fans (and some media) were furious about this pick. I like it. Reiman is 6-foot-5, 271 pounds of complete run-blocking intensity. He was a monster in the run game, loves laying guys out, and has a fun personality to add to the TE room.

The Cardinals might have their franchise pass-catcher in Trey McBride, but they don't have a run-blocking TE, since Geoff Swaim's injury, and the fact that Eljiah Higgins is built more like a WR. This might not be the guy the fans wanted at this high of a round, but with how many times offensive coordinator Drew Petzing likes to run the ball and utilize 12 or 13 personnel, this is absolutely a pick with serious upside that does actually fill a need.

Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College

Grade: B

This guy is a ball-hawking, aggressive corner. The Cardinals did not have a single one of those last year. They needed a guy who can take away the ball, and thats what Jones can do. Jones is a solid man corner with some height at 6-foot-2, but he isn't the bulkiest or most athletic player. While his ability to be a disruptor is a positive, there's also a chance he turns into a somewhat undisciplined, penalty-ridden player.

He did produce well at BC, with 21 PBUs and seven interceptions in his final two seasons, and he certainly can make his presence known in a variety of schemes, but he isn't an island corner who can function entirely without help.

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S, Texas Tech

Grade: D+

Look, there's a very real world where Budda Baker isn't around after 2024, and there are some deficiencies in Baker's game, but it just felt unnecessary. This safety class wasn't the strongest, and there wasn't a reason to go after one with the idea that he won't start right away. He's below average in size and strength, and is vulnerable to play-action.

Still, he has good instincts and can become a ballhawk. But with safeties becoming less of a premium position, and the Cardinals already rostering two near-elite ones, this isn't my favorite pick, although he does have the versatilty and upside that former DBs coach Jonathan Gannon loves.

Xavier Thomas, EDGE, Clemson

Grade: B-

The Cardinals drafted to a severe positional need here. That alone makes it a worthwhile pick. There is some legitimate concern about Thomas, since he's not the biggest, nor the most athletic prospect out there. His production wasn't anything major either, but he did manage to record 33 TFL and 18 sacks in his six-year college career. Still, his value is more about pure pressure ability and disruption, and he played in a difficult conference in the SEC, for a team that is close to a precursor to the NFL.

Cristian Jones, OL, Texas

Grade: A

This has potential to be a major draft steal in the fifth round. The Cardinals might be squared away for the moment with Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams, but they need tackle depth and someone to take on a future role when Williams' 2-year deal is up. Jones fits that perfectly, bringing serious beef over from a big-boy program at UT. He's 6-foot-5, 305 pounds, and can play both right and left tackle. He has major upside, with most of his criticisms being nit-picky technical flaws that can be coached up. This was a very good pick at 162 overall.

Tejhaun Palmer, WR, UAB

Grade: C+

I know. It's a day three pick, and a guy who has nothing but upside to a WR room that was devoid of much talent prior to MHJ being picked at No. 4. However, I just can't imagine Palmer outperforming even Chris Moore, who is the same type of explosive player. Not that Moore is anything special, but in Palmer's two seasons of legitimate action, he only put up 1,337 yards. Granted, that translated to well over 15 yards per reception in both 2022 and 2023, and the big play ability is all there, but it's hard to see him translate well to the NFL level right away. He might get there, and I could be totally wrong, but he comes from UAB in Conference USA, there will be a severe learning curve, with his ceiling being a solid WR4/5.

Jaden Davis, CB, Miami

Grade: C

The fact that this is a positional need raises this grade a bit, but there's not much to see from Davis. Again, it's the seventh round, so we're not expecting stars, but there's little to be impressed by from Davis. He has quickness, but is only 5-foot-10, 182 pounds, and has almost zero production as a DB. He has only one interception in his career, despite playing five years of college football.

What he can do is tackle, as he has 77 tackles over his last two seasons. He also has a sack and two forced fumbles. With a secondary that struggles with finishing, especially in the open field, there is some potential value there, but he won't be ready to be an impact player, even with Arizona's CB room being thin. It's not a bad pick by any means, but it's the definition of a seventh-round flyer. I especially don't love it coming off the addition of a veteran corner and two impressive draftees, however, and feel that the final "flyer" pick could have been used elsewhere.

The Cardinals added plenty of talent. Overall, this draft is looking like a success, with a potential to be a complete grand slam if even half these players live up to some of their potential. Ossenfort and Gannon are building from the ground up, valuing versatility, consistency of health and intellect, and these prospects mostly fit the mold.

Arizona's future begins now.