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

Round 5

Last round we gave the Arizona Cardinals a former edge rusher that may not play the position in the NFL, this round we give the team a true edge rusher that should continue to play there at the next level.

Ben Banogu is the quick-twitch edge rusher that NFL scouts dream of. Measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 250-pounds, he’s got good size but has better athleticism. At the combine, he turned heads to the tune of a 4.63 second 40-yard-dash, 40-inch vertical, 134-inch broad jump, 7.02-second three-cone-drill, and 23 bench-press reps. Again, quick-twitch athleticism.

But, like most freakishly athletic edge rushers available in the fifth, Banogu is a fairly raw prospect. Although he had 18.0 sacks in two seasons after transferring from Louisiana-Monroe, you’d like to see a lot more from the edge rusher. While he can certainly win with freakish burst and bend, he doesn’t win due to a pass-rushing plan and doesn’t seem to be willing to speed rush.

However, Banogu has excellent instincts and a knack to find the ball, which should help him get drafted later on. He can rush from the outside or inside and will surely be an excellent special-teamer as well. If the Cardinals could develop his technique and understanding of leverage they could have a late-round gem on their hands.