3 Players Cardinals Could Trade Up for in NFL Draft

With the 16th overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals are in a good position to add some talent in the 2025 NFL Draft. The team addressed their needs in the offseason through free agency, but more work is needed to get this roster back into the playoffs after falling short last season.

The middle of the first round is a good spot to be in for a draft class that features the Cardinals' top needs on defense, the offensive line, and wide receiver. They should find good talent and value where they pick, but if they have something else in mind then they must be prepared to move up and get their guy.

Several players may require Arizona to move up the board for to ensure they can get a legitimate game-changer.

Three players I can see the Cardinals having an interest in that may require a move up the board, and one who is guaranteed to require a drastic move:

Mike Green

Marshall EDGE Mike Gree — Sep 7, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd defensive lineman Mike Green (15) celebrates after sacking Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) during the first quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

It’s incredibly difficult to narrow down Green’s stock. Some (myself included) have him as a top-10 pick; others slot him into the second-half of day one. But here’s the thing: If the Cardinals want Green, they can’t be afraid to move up and get him.

Green is the edge rusher I like to lead his class in sacks as a rookie with room to grow in other areas. With Arizona's investment to their defensive line recently, it wouldn’t be a bad decision to invest in a sack artist who needs polishing everywhere else.

With a defensive scheme under Nick Rallis and a pass rushing whisperer in Jonathan Gannon, Green could quickly find his way into the backfield and be a high-producer in the sack department.

Armand Membou

Membou’s climb has been insane to see. The Mizzou right tackle entered first-round conversation near the end of the 2024 regular season and now there’s thought he could be the first offensive lineman off the board and a top-10 pick. His meteoric rise has been delightful to watch.

But with his climb has seen the Cardinals pretty much out of contention for him without a trade up.

It wouldn’t be an ill-advised move to go up for him whatsoever. Arizona’s hole at right tackle could be an Achilles heel in 2025 with current options Jonah Williams and Kelvin Beachum as nothing more than short terms solutions.

A move for Membou would require getting inside the top-10 and making sure they get ahead of the 49ers at 11, who would be wise to take him. Parking Membou and Paris Johnson Jr. for the foreseeable future would provide this offense bookend offensive tackles.

Mason Graham

Michigan DT Mason Graha — Blue Team defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) walks up the tunnel for halftime during the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 20, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The best interior defensive lineman in the class and arguably the best prospect entirely, the Cardinals would have to move heaven and earth to go up and get Graham. The Michigan product was arguably the program's most important player in the Wolverines' title run in 2023 and anchored one of college football's best defenses.

Even after a so-so 2024 season, he's still regarded as an undeniably elite prospect.

Graham is currently expected to be selected inside the top five picks of the draft, with the Jaguars at fifth-overall being the "lowest" he could slip.

Arizona has a drastic need for interior defensive linemen, and Graham would be a more than welcomed addition. However, you'd be looking at a jump of 11 spots and into the top-five draft picks at a minimum, and that won't be cheap.

To make the move, Arizona would be forfeiting A LOT of future draft capital... and making an argument to do so for a defensive lineman would be hard to make.