The Arizona Cardinals add a guard in the late rounds.
The Arizona Cardinals drafted their first offensive player of the 2025 NFL Draft, as they have taken Texas guard Hayden Conner in round six.
From Dane Brugler’s “The Beast”:
A three-year starter at Texas, Conner was a mainstay at left guard in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s RPO pro-style spread offense. He moved to guard when he arrived in Austin and played more than 3,000 combined snaps the past four seasons, finishing his career with 43 straight starts.
With his experience and savvy, Conner put consistent play on tape in pass protection (zero sacks allowed in 2024), using his strength through engagement to ride rushers to a standstill. He runs his feet to secure blocks in the run game, although inconsistent body control and pad level lead to negative reps. Overall, Conner isn’t a slug, but his athletic profile won’t be a fit for every scheme. Nonetheless, he is durable, strong and technically steady. He can provide depth on the interior of an NFL offensive line.
New offensive line coach Justin Frye gets his first rookie.
Welcome to the desert, Hayden.