Cornerback has been the most commonly mocked position for the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the NFL draft. They hold the 16th overall pick and very possibly will have their choice of the three top corners in the draft.
In the latest mock draft from Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, that doesn’t change.
They land the third cornerback of the draft — Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley.
Per NBC Sports’ Peter King, Farley’s back issues are behind him, and while that may not be enough for all 32 NFL teams, the Cardinals aren’t in a position to be entirely choosy. Patrick Peterson is gone, 2019 second-round pick Byron Murphy has allowed 12 touchdowns to one interception in his professional career, and question marks abound beyond that. Farley might not be as man-proficient as Patrick Surtain II, or as aggressive as Jaycee Horn, he may be the most scheme-transcendent cornerback in this class. He’ll work just fine for a Vance Joseph-led defense that played the second-most man coverage snaps in the NFL behind only the Saints, and if Joseph wants to switch it up, Farley has the chops to handle anything else his new team throws at him.
With the top three receivers off the board, selecting Farley makes a ton of sense. He is a top talent. He fills an immediate need and a long-term need. He should be able to make an impact as a rookie. It is a premium position.
If his only red flag was the back surgery and that has been cleared, then taking him 16th overall should cause no one any concerns. They should make that pick feeling confident they have their CB1 for potentially the next decade.
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