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

Round 2

I love the Hakeem Butler-Arizona Cardinals fit here at No. 33. Why? Because Butler possesses that rare, elusive blend of speed and size. That’s not an overstatement. At 6-5, 227-pounds with a 4.48 second 40-yard-dash in the books, Butler has received Calvin Johnson comparisons for a reason.

The former Iowa State Cyclone is a headache to defend in contested catch situations due to that height, jump-ball ability (36-inch vertical), and good body control. His ability to pluck the ball out of the air and use his toe drag swag tendencies to make the impossible possible.

Butler also has improved his game after the catch as he uses his functional athleticism and length to deny defenders space. Against press coverage, he tends to use his length to his advantage but has an underrated ability to beat bigger more physical cornerbacks with developed footwork.

Despite his impressive resume, Butler may fall to the second round due to his weaknesses. His lack of quickness and fluidity in his breaks are apparent and it should result in him seeing a compacted route-tree that features mostly vertical routes. Per Pro Football Focus, his lower career catch rate of 57.6% and 17 drops are also concerning statistics.

But don’t get it twisted. If Butler is available at No. 33 it would be foolish not to select the Arizona Cardinals X-receiver of the future.