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Arizona Cardinals 7-round mock draft, PAC-12 only edition

By Avery Duncan

BOULDER, CO - OCTOBER 05: The Colorado Golden Buffalo Marching Band performs prior to facing the Oregon Ducks at Folsom Field on October 5, 2013 in Boulder, Colorado. The Ducks defeated the Buffs 57-16. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO - OCTOBER 05: The Colorado Golden Buffalo Marching Band performs prior to facing the Oregon Ducks at Folsom Field on October 5, 2013 in Boulder, Colorado. The Ducks defeated the Buffs 57-16. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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BERKELEY, CA – DECEMBER 01: Fullback Malik McMorris #99 of the California Golden Bears breaks a tackle from linebacker Bobby Okereke #20 of the Stanford Cardinal during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CA – DECEMBER 01: Fullback Malik McMorris #99 of the California Golden Bears breaks a tackle from linebacker Bobby Okereke #20 of the Stanford Cardinal during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /

Round 5

Bobby Okereke is just the type of linebacker Vance Joseph could use in his 3-4 defense. Although he’s raw, the Arizona Cardinals can afford to take their time with his development as recently signed (yet oft-injured) Jordan Hicks should be a starter at inside linebacker alongside athletic 2017 first-rounder Haason Reddick.

Running a solid 4.58 second 40-yard-dash and measuring in at 6-foot-1 and 239-pounds, Okereke has the size and speed to be a rangy linebacker in the NFL. His instincts should help as well, as they were a large part in his zero touchdowns allowed in pass coverage, per Pro Football Focus. He’s a typical cerebral Stanford product, but he’s got a ways to go until being a full-time starter.

One of his knocks is his missed tackles. While he always seems to be where the ball is (96 career run-stuffs, per PFF), his 36 missed tackles, per PFF, are frustrating. Those missed tackles are the result of two things; having a top-heavy frame, and average power at the point of attack. He’s a good functional athlete as well, but he lacks the quick-twitch stop-and-go ability which can show up in block shedding. He also tends to be a bit too instinctual in run-stopping.

Okereke is the definition of a potential product at linebacker. He has all the tools and brain to handle a role at linebacker, but the game has yet to slow down for him. The Stanford product could benefit from developing behind the current Cardinals starter while simultaneously playing in a key-role on special-teams day-one.

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