Fansided Mock Draft: The Arizona Cardinals Select…

David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

As a Fansided site we are participating in a on going 2014 NFL Mock Draft with some of the Local and NFL sites of Fansided. You can follow the on going draft here (http://factoryofsadness.co) to see all of the picks leading to our selection below. Follow along as we complete all 32 teams First Round Picks.

With top-tier offensive tackles Jake Matthews and Greg Robinson off the board, I see no real value taking one here, so I have decided to go in a different direction.

The Arizona Cardinals selects Calvin Pryor, safety, Louisville with the 20th overall pick. Pryor represents great value in the mid-first round as he surges up draft boards in the pre-draft process, and fills a serious team need at the position. With Yeremiah Bell unlikely to be resigned, and Tyrann Mathieu to be moved to slot corner, Pryor will assume the starting role alongside Rashad Johnson and sure-up the main area of weakness on the teams elite-level defense.

I did consider an offensive tackle at this position, despite the unappealing value. Taylor Lewan was the leading player, but he was snagged by the Dolphins immediately before my selection. Tennessee’s Antonio Richardson and Alabama’s Cyrus Kouandjio were also considered. Tight end is another position of relative need, but Eric Ebron, the leading prospect, was selected earlier in the draft. Jace Amaro and Austin Seferian-Jenkins available, but I felt making sure the secondary no longer had any weak-links, especially against the tight end, was a priority. This position is not very deep in the draft, whereas tight end and offensive tackle could see a number of good prospects available in Day 2.

How do you feel about this selection? Do you agree? Or would you have gone in another direction? Leave a comment on your views.