5 Players Cardinals Should Avoid in NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft is a big one for the Arizona Cardinals; I mean, they must nail this thing.

For starters, they currently don’t have much ammo pending any compensatory picks – sitting with five selections. The 2025 class may not be universally recognized as elite, but that puts even more pressure on Arizona to hit on all their picks.

Edge rusher, offensive tackle, wide receiver, quarterback, and cornerback are my top areas to add talent to, but there are some prospects I would avoid for varying reasons.

Some reasons are fit. Others are timing. And even some just don’t feel like guys who would immediately change a Cardinals team that is intent on competing in year three of the Jonathan Gannon era.

I have a short list here – five players – that I would personally ward off the Cardinals from taking. This isn’t to say these are bad players, and frankly I like some of these guys quite a bit. However, I don’t like their immediate fit for a team that needs immediate production.

Shavon Revel, Cornerback, East Carolina

Cornerback is not the biggest need for the Cardinals considering the young talent they possess with Garrett Williams, Max Melton, and Starling Thomas. So, drafting a corner in round one feels like a luxury… unless the right guy is there.

A player like Benjamin Morrison or Jahdae Barron would be an intriguing selection for Arizona to become their top outside corner and make Melton and Thomas some incredible rotational guys. Their additions could be excessive for some, but they’re high-level guys who can transcend that unit.

Revel is also a super talented player but with one caveat – he’s recovering from a torn ACL.

Now don’t get me wrong, ligament tears in the knee aren’t the death sentences they once were for your career, but guys still need ample time to adjust and regain their confidence on playing with an injury like that. Most guys aren’t the same in year one after that kind of injury and a rookie like Revel may not be either.

Revel is likely a first-round draft choice, so selecting him on day one is quite the investment. There’s added pressure for him to immediately contribute even to a deep room because of the draft status. And should he struggle as most do to come off a knee injury it could ruin his confidence and give him a bad rep with fans.

Revel is a great pick for teams that can stash him, and the Cardinals can in theory. However, this team needs players who are ready from day one and can play at a high level. Revel is more than likely not that. The team should put focus on a pass rusher instead of another corner.

Shemar Stewart, Edge Rusher, Texas A&M

Stewart has become a darling for some and a taboo player for others in the draft community. The intrigue with Stewart, a 6’6 and 290lbs defensive lineman, is his potential athleticism and the insane upside he possesses. If he hits, Stewart could become a huge matchup nightmare for opposing teams.

Sounds familiar, right? It should, because that’s exactly what the Cardinals have with Darius Robinson, who they just drafted on day one a year ago.

Two of those same players on the same team is a risk and two of the same players who are legitimately projects is even more so.

Robinson was banged up this season, but even his eventual return to the field showed a lot of work needed to be done. I don’t like the idea of developing two of the same type of player at the exact same time for any team, not just the Cardinals.

Edge rusher should be the team’s top priority in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they need guys who compliment each other and not guys who are identical.

Isaiah Bond, Wide Receiver, Texas

Isaiah Bond, WR, Texa — Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Javan Robinson (12) intercepts a pass intended for Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond (7) during the second half of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Bond is an interesting player. He’s shown a lot of promise between his time at Alabama and this season at Texas and he could have some pro success, too. But with that being said, Bond didn’t flourish in a bigger role he found with the Longhorns compared to what he did with Bama.

As the season progressed, it felt like Bond was more of a distraction for defenses than he was a game-breaking threat – which is unfortunate because he should be that. Instead, he was at best the third option for that passing attack behind Matthew Golden and Gunnar Helm.

The intrigue with Bond is as a deep threat, which is a huge need for the Cardinals and a reason why he’ll be linked to the team this offseason. However, I advise against the move because Arizona needs more than just a speedster and I don’t believe Bond can do much more quickly enough and fill the exact need the Cardinals have.

Emery Jones Jr, Offensive Tackle, LSU

Emery Jones, LSU, O — Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; LSU Tigers offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. (50) lines up during the second quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies defeated the Tigers 38-23; at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Jones opened last offseason not only as a first-round pick, but a potential OT1 in the entire class. The potential didn’t disappear, but he certainly showed there’s a lot of work to be done now that Jayden Daniels is in the pros.

I do believe that Jones could turn into a stud, but that’s not where the Cardinals’ mindset should be. Their 2025 class needs to have emphasis on guys who can contribute as rookies or no later than 2026. I simply do not believe that Jones is there yet.

The right tackle position is a big need for the Cardinals considering the uncertainty of Jonah Williams. While Jones could win the job and start, I think he’d be set up to fail without any development behind the scenes and it could dismantle a promising player.

If Arizona could sit Jones for two or even three years than I’d love it, but that’s not in the cards for this year.

Riley Leonard, Quarterback, Notre Dame

Notre Dame QB Riley Leonar — Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) runs with the ball against Ohio State Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom (8) during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Cardinals should 100% take a quarterback at some point during the 2025 NFL Draft. Not only that, but I believe it should be a decent investment. The highest I would go would be a fourth-round pick, as I find it critical to get someone with experience but also would present a legitimate threat to usurp Kyler Murray if he continues to underachieve.

There’s several mid-to-late round quarterbacks I like for the Cardinals, including Quinn Ewers (Texas), Kurtis Rourke (Indiana), Will Howard (Ohio State), Kyle McCord (Syracuse), and especially Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss). There are some I’m not big on like Tyler Shough (Louisville), KJ Jeferson (UCF), and Graham Mertz (Florida) to bring in.

But there is one player who I think would simply be a wasted pick for the Cardinals, and that’s Riley Leonard of Notre Dame.

Leonard is a veteran quarterback with good qualities, but he’s a developmental player and needs time to adjust to the pros. The Cardinals are not that team. And to emphasize my point again, they need a veteran who can push Murray immediately and not maybe down the road.

The prospect of Leonard is exciting for certain teams, but not all; this should include the Cardinals for the latter.