The NFL season is officially over and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl champions. Now that it is officially the offseason and, more specifically, draft season for everyone, Draft Wire managing editor Luke Easterling has a new mock draft. This one goes two rounds.
The Arizona Cardinals, who pick 16th in the first round and 17th in the second round, land help on the offensive line and off the defensive edge.
In the first round, they select USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Vera-Tucker has size and athleticism and would fill a need at guard now and moving forward,. While the Cardinals have Justin Pugh and Justin Murray slated to start next season at the two guard positions.
Sam Dehring wrote this about him in a recent draft profile.
He is productive as a run and pass blocker. As a run blocker, Tucker has a nice burst of speed of the ball as a pulling guard that uses his hands efficiently to win those one-on-one matchups. As a pass blocker, he has elite technique that keeps a steady balance throughout plays. He recorded an 88.6 pass blocking grade in 2019 with no sacks or QB hits, according to Pro Football Focus.
In the second round, the Cardinals select Georgia EDGE Azeez Ojulari.
He is 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds and increased in production each of his three seasons he played for the Bulldogs.
After playing only two games as a freshman, he had 5.5 sacks and five tackles for loss in 2019. Then, in 2020, he had 9.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.
The Cardinals have uncertainty at outside linebacker, where Ojulari would play. Chandler Jones is coming off a torn biceps, Dennis Gardeck is coming off an ACL tear and both Haason Reddick and Markus Golden are set to be unrestricted free agents.
These two picks would give the Cardinals players at positions of need. In terms of mock drafts, it is what you hope to see the team do.
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