Arizona Cardinals First Round Pick May Not Even be in the Green Room

If the Arizona Cardinals select an offensive lineman in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft next Thursday, it is quite possible that guy will not be in attendance.  A list of green room attendees was released the other day and a couple of possible targets for the Cards are not on it.  Offensive tackles Riley Reiff from Iowa and Jonathan Martin from Stanford are not on the list and both are possible selections for the Cards.  Also not on the list is offensive guard David DeCastro from Stanford is also not on the list.  However, another possible target, wide receiver Michael Floyd from Notre Dame, is going to be in attendance.

Certainly, the Cards won’t pick based on who or who isn’t in New York, but it does beg the question, why are those other guys not going to be in New York?  Do they know something maybe the rest of us don’t?  What are they being told by scouts?  Usually a player’s reluctance to attend or not be invited whatsoever is a sign the guy may not be picked until later rounds on Friday or Saturday.

Look at Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler.  He was invited, but he is not on the list.  He has probably been told there is still a good chance he may not be selected until the third or fourth round.  So, by staying away, he avoids the embarrassment of being the only guy in the room not selected in the first round or early second round.

I do not know all the reasons why guys like Reiff, Martin, and DeCastro will not attend, but it does raise some eyebrows.  Regardless, the Cards should still pick the best guy that fits what they need.  I’m still sticking with Floyd.