Combine: Six Edge Rushers Cardinals Need to Watch

Upgrades across the front seven, and especially regarding their pass rush is absolutely the top priority for the Arizona Cardinals this offseason.

Moves need to be made in free agency, and I wouldn’t mind seeing a trade or two - but the 2025 NFL draft is the perfect spot to get everything done. Off the edge, from the inside, period.

Amongst the biggest strengths of this draft class is highlighted by the edge rushers. After last year’s class where we struggled to find any defensive players and round one, this year’s class should be dominated on the defensive side of the ball on day one.

Edge rusher should contribute the most.

But even beyond day one, there are several players who I absolutely love to pieces — guys who I trust for immediate role roles on this team, whether it’s being heavily rotated or flat out being named a starter on week one… This is that class.

There’s absolutely no excuses to not walk away from this class with at least one impact player. To be honest, if one of their first two pics is not on the position I would have serious questions no matter what they did before the draft.

I truly don’t care if they signed three guys in trade for another — edge rusher needs to be one of their first two pics.

And thankfully, this is the draft to do it.

Like I said, days one, two and three have immediate producers in my book and others. The following are my three favorite players for each day as well as guys that you need to keep in mind.

Day 1 Cardinals Combine Targets

James Pearce, Tennessee

Oh yes, my favorite edge rusher in this class and a guy that I have refused to move off of all year long. The highs and lows that peer saw in his draft stock, puzzled me all year. I would think a player is consistent and dominant as Pearce would be an easy evaluation… But I guess not.

But that’s in the past. As far as I can see, everyone seems to have come back around on the stud.

Producing at the level that Pearce did in SEC should not be overlooked the way that it is. He is a two time first team, all conference defender, and amongst the top SEC prospects on any side of the football in this draft.

Projecting Pearce at the next level isn’t hard. This is a day one starter on almost 32 teams. I do understand that there is some hesitation with Tennessee pass rushers from previous years of underwhelming production, but we need to remember one of the most important aspects when it comes to the draft: scout the player, not the helmet.

Pearce is special. It’s easy to throw that term around, and I am more than guilty of it. But Pierce is one of those guys that I’m confident in to turn into one of the best players from this class.

There’s a few moves the Cardinals could do this on season that would make Pearce the second best edge rusher on this team from day one. His addition changes the prospects of this past rush for the immediate future. There’s not much more you can ask for than that.

Don’t sleep on…

Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

If we’re being honest, the edge, Russian class at this point in time is well known. It makes finding a “sleeper“ incredibly difficult to identify.

Going with Ezeiruaka here feels a bit cheap, but what else am I supposed to do?

The Boston College product skyrocketed up boards by seasons end. His 16.5sacks was just a half behind the nation’s leader, Mike Green. He leaves the program as one of their most productive defenders ever, and I won’t be surprised if he sneaks into the back end of day one.

If production is what you value the most, then Ezeiruaka your guy. But he’s also simply someone I trust for day one production.

Day 2 Cardinals Combine Targets

Jack Sawyer, Ohio State

Well, well, well, if it isn’t, my old friend Mr. Sawyer. And my mind do we have a history together.

Sawyer has snuck into the first round of my mock draft consistently since the end of the year, with him going as high as, you guessed it, 16 to the Cardinals. I have him much closer to the back end of the first round now, but that doesn’t change how much I like him.

I feel like I’m cheating a bit here by including Sawyer on my day two list, but if that’s where the consensus of people rank him then how can I resist?

We saw a lot of guys take steps forward thanks for their decisions to return to college for one more year. The Ohio State defense almost universally got better from that decision. But for me, Sawyer was the smartest, not just at tOSU to make that decision, but in the class period.

The former five star developed into a complete player. His pass rushing got better each season, I trust him to set the edge against the run, and he turned into the leader of a defense that had no shortage of future NFL players.

Plenty of guys are easy to project to the next level in this year‘s class — they’re simply that many studs. But Sawyer is amongst the best of the best when it comes to that narrative.

I don’t care if he’s the 16th pick or if he’s the day to pack for Arizona. I’m borderline begging the team to find a way to get him in the desert.

I promise you no matter where he’s drafted that he will be one of the best candidates to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Sawyer is one of my guys that I will get on the table and defend.

Don’t sleep on…

Jared Ivey, Ole Miss

There’s a handful of Ole Miss press rushers in this class, and quite frankly I trust the vast majority of them. Princely Umanmielen was someone I thought about going with here, but I think he sneaks into day one -– and I don’t wanna do that twice since I already did it with Sawyer.

So instead, we’ll go with Ivey, who is severely flying under the radar.

Ivey has had consecutive eight sack seasons and absolutely exploded last year as a much more well rounded player. His run defense took a step forward, and he more than doubled. His quarterback hurries from 15 to 31.

That’s a production and the growth that you like to see from your players.

Like I said, the Ole Miss prospects in this year‘s class, almost across the board, our guys I would love to see end up in the desert. Ivey would be one of those guys.

Day 3 Cardinals Combine Targets

David Walker, Central Arkansas

Walker is an absolute dude. Despite lower level competition at Central Arkansas, it didn’t stop him from putting up insane numbers. I don’t care what your competition looks like, when you have 37 sacks over three seasons that’s not worthy.

Obviously, you would assume )and assume correctly) that walker is a top and edge rusher. But he’s also a very good run defender, making him as well rounded an edge rusher as anyone else in the class.

When it comes to day three picks, Walker has to be amongst my favorites. Truth be told, I wouldn’t mind grabbing him near the end of day two if that’s what it took to secure his services. This is a guy. I’m all in on.

Get him on this team, rotate him in, and with the right development, he can become a starter before the end of his rookie deal. Regardless, I trust him to be rotated and consistently, and eventually earn the trust of the coaching staff for a much larger role.

Don’t sleep on…

BJ Green, Colorado

Green is being so slept on that he’s not even being placed on the vast majority of draft websites. And that’s a damn shame.

In his first and only season with Colorado and subsequently the Big 12 Conference, Green posted a career best 7.5 sacks. He was also named First-Team All-Conference for the Big 12 after making Second-Team All-Conference last season with Arizona State in the PAC-12 conference.

Fun fact for you: in all four of his seasons between ASU and Colorado, Green lead the team and six — some season is more impressive than others, but still kind of cool.

I understand the big grip with Green has to do with his shorter arms and questions about what his true fit in the process is. But I’ve always been as a proponent that sometimes guys are just good at football, and Green is good at football.

Grab him as late as you can, or make him a priority free agent. Trust me, this is a guy you want to get in on.