Dec 5, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Chris Moore (15) its tackled by Louisville Cardinals safety Calvin Pryor (25) during the first quarter at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Looking ahead to the NFL draft next week, one of the names that comes up from time to time for the Arizona Cardinals is Louisville’s Calvin Pryor. The defensive backfield is not necessarily something the Cards need to look at early but it is an area they should address in the draft at some point. Will he be available for the Cards at number 20? We will find out on Thursday evening. Draft time is 5pm Arizona time
Good feet, good vision, explosive. Those are the first three things I usually see or talked about when discussing Pryor. Of course those are all traits that will make a safety successful in the NFL. I’m not sure he’s left on the board at 20 but since I’ve seen a mock or two with Pryor’s name penciled in for the Cards, I’ve added him as one of the profiled players for the Cards draft possibilities.
His biggest weaknesses are that he can get himself into trouble with his hits. Will he end up being too aggressive? That could lead to more yellow flags. I don’t know if that’s enough to not draft a guy? I’ve seen him compared to Antrel Rolle. You might remember him? He also isn’t consistent in keeping defenders close to him and can get separated from receivers he is responsible for.
On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the highest probability, I see Pryor as a five on the Cards scale. I can see the Cards drafting him and passing on him depending if he’s available and if he is, who else is there at 20.