Debate: Which Dominant DL Should Cardinals Draft?

The 2025 NFL Draft is now less than a month away and mock draft season is in full swing.

Sports shows and social media is full of discussion about what players fit with what teams and trying to predict how this year's slate of players will turn out and that is no different within the Arizona Cardinals community.

After an 8-9 outing in 2024, the Cardinals sit at an interesting spot in the first round at pick No. 16. Now, with the first frantic flurries of free agency out of the way the picture has become a bit clearer at what positional needs the team might address in the first round and beyond.

The most commonly mocked position at No. 16 has fairly consistently been a defensive player, and a bit more specifically, a defensive lineman. The two most common names being seen discussed at that spot might very well be Michigan's Kenneth Grant and Oregon's Derrick Harmon.

They might be listed at the same position but Grant and Harmon play very different brands of football and would each bring something unique to the team that drafts them. Beyond looking at the position initials in front of their name, it is important to investigate how they actually play the game.

Arguments could certainly be made for either one, so of the two talented players which one makes more sense for the Cardinals and what could they bring to the team?

Kenneth Grant

DT | 6'3" | 339 lbs | Michigan

Career Games: 40

Career Sacks: 8

Career Hurries: 40

Career Tackles: 69

Grant is a true space-eater and thrives when given one gap to own, come what may. He is a big man and a classic run-stuffer that can clog lanes and take on double teams with pure strength.

He is strong enough that weaker offensive linemen will struggle to move him at times and he can win with pure force alone if he gets his hands inside early in a rep.

Due to that strength, his main pass rush move is the classic bull rush but his repertoire falls off a bit after that if he can't bully his way past a center or guard.

At Michigan he was nearly always in either the A or B gap, so there are some questions as to what his exact role would be with the Cardinals. If Dalvin Tomlinson is the clear-cut starting nose tackle how would Grant be worked into that lineup in a way that would make him worthy of a first round pick?

The biggest weakness for Grant is his lateral movement. If a running back or mobile quarterback can get an edge on him they can get out of his reach fairly fast which limits his positional flexibility compared to some of the other defensive linemen in this draft class.

Grant can plug a single gap with the best of them, but if the Cardinals are looking for a super versatile player that can do a bit of everything at several spots along the line, he might not be the right player.

Derrick Harmon

DT | 6'5" | 320 lbs | Oregon

Career Games: 38

Career Sacks: 9

Career Hurries: 72

Career Tackles: 115

Harmon is not as heavy as Grant, but he still comes in at a great size for what he does at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds with a longer frame and significantly more juice off the line.

Harmon has long arms and with his explosive first step he can disengage from blockers easier than Grant and still has the power to finish more moves in the backfield, something backed up by his higher amount of overall tackles and hurries.

His major strength also just so happens to be Grant's major weakness, versatility. Harmon has lined up a bit at nearly every spot along the line including A gap, B gap, over the tackle, etc. 1-tech, 3-tech, 5-tech are all viable options for him and he can be effective in nearly every role.

Harmon's weakness also lines up with Grant's greatest strength, run defense. It is not that the former Oregon Duck is weak against the run per se but he can get pushed around by abnormally strong offensive linemen at times and is less likely than Grant to win a rep through sheer strength.

If the Cardinals are looking for a DT that can be more disruptive in the pass game and cause problems in the backfield, Harmon might be more of who they should be looking at in the first round.

So Who's Better?

This question truly comes down to what the Cardinals are looking for in an early pick along the defensive line.

If they are looking to stop the run first and foremost and looking for an eventual Tomlinson successor, Grant would be a great selection. He could anchor the defense and help shut down opposing ground games.

If the team is looking for more interior pressure with pass rush upside and positional flexibility, Harmon might be a better option. Gannon/Rallis can play with his position along the line and figure out the best way to utilize his talents.

Defensive line is not the only option for the Cardinals in the first round. The free agent acquisitions of Josh Sweat and Tomlinson open up the options for the team and Monti Ossenfort could decide to go in a completely different direction, however both Grant and Harmon could provide immediate defensive help to get the Cardinals back on track and into the playoffs in 2025.