Cardinals Praised Highly in National Draft Grades

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals walk away as major winners from the 2025 NFL Draft after adding seven fresh faces to the roster.

Knocking on the door step of the postseason, the Cardinals needed to have a strong offseason to improve their roster to reach playoff contender status - and many believe that's exactly what they accomplished.

National outlets far and wide have given fairly good grades to the Cardinals, such as Pro Football Focus - who awarded Arizona an A+ for their efforts over the weekend.

More outlets followed a similar line of thought:

Bleacher Report: B+

Kris Knox: "It wasn't surprising to see a defensively focused draft from the Cardinals, given Gannon's background. It's fair to wonder, though, if Arizona should have done more to support quarterback Kyler Murray, who has yet to establish himself as a top-tier signal-caller."

Yahoo!: A

Charles McDonald: "I love this draft class. The Cardinals had a clear plan to upgrade their defense and took some big swings on talented players in Walter Nolen and Will Johnson to start their draft class. They doubled down on the defensive line with the selection of do-it-all defensive lineman Jordan Burch from Oregon and took an upside pick with Denzel Burke on Day 3.

"They must feel pretty good about where they are on offense because they didn’t get a pick there until the sixth round with guard Hayden Conner."

ESPN: B-

Mel Kiper: "The Cardinals finished 8-9 last season, taking a clear step forward in coach Jonathan Gannon's second year in charge. Though their defense wasn't amazing -- they ranked 23rd in yards per play allowed, 25th in yards per rush allowed and 28th in pass rush win rate -- they're trending up, and the free agent signing of Josh Sweat should give the pass rush a boost. They have clear needs on that side of the ball, though, and I thought they needed to leave this draft with multiple defensive starters.

"That's exactly what they did, taking defenders with their first five picks. Walter Nolen is a super-talented defensive tackle, but I thought he went a little high at No. 16. He has upside as a pass rusher, sure, but there's risk; he's inconsistent from down to down. Cornerback Will Johnson could be a Round 2 steal -- he ended up No. 11 on my Big Board. He's coming off an injury-plagued season, and I know his medicals were a big reason for his slide into Day 2. Based on his tape, though, he can shut down wideouts. And he fills a hole: The Arizona defense allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 69% of passes last season, which ranked 29th."

NFL.com: A-

Chad Reuter: "Arizona focused on defense on the first two days of the draft, taking two potential stars in Nolen and Johnson . If Nolen can put it all together and Johnson can stay healthy, they will lift the Cardinals' defense to a new level.

"Simon just seems to find the ball. He'll make plays inside and outside for the Cardinals. His fellow Buckeye, Burke, has the athleticism to stick on the roster. They found a needed offensive lineman in Conner, and I expect Crawford to surprise as a nickel safety his rookie season. Arizona should be looking to sign multiple undrafted free agent receivers to compete for a roster spot."

Sports Illustrated: B

Gilberto Manzano: "Arizona finally added some defensive talent, which should allow coach Jonathan Gannon to fully operate his scheme. Nolen is a boom-or-bust prospect, but if the Cardinals are right about him, he’s capable of doing what Jalen Carter does in the middle of the Eagles’ defensive line.

"Arizona also rolled the dice on Johnson, a talented cornerback who fell from the first round due to medical concerns. Johnson, however, claims to be healthy and could be an immediate impact player. Arizona went all defense with its first five picks."