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

Round 6

Sometimes, when you need receivers as much as the Arizona Cardinals do, you have to double dip. That’s precisely what I did here with the selection of Gary Jennings (pictured) — a tall, field-stretcher formerly for the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Jennings almost reminds me of Pierre Garcon in that he’s a jack of all trades type of receiver with some speed to boot. Whether you want him to return kicks or put him in the slot, Jennings has seemingly done it effectively. He’s not a world-beating route-runner due to average burst, but his route-tree isn’t slacking. Although he may not be an explosive athlete, he makes up for it with physicality and an unrelenting style of play.

While the Arizona Cardinals could take another shot at adding to the defense here, adding a guy like Jennings should be a plus. Like Butler, he’s a receiver ready to play day-one — a bonus for the Cardinals.

Like Butler and Jennings, when you have a major team need, sometimes you have to double-dip. That’s exactly what I do in the mock to inject some youth into the Arizona Cardinals offensive line unit by adding Ben Powers alongside Yodny Cajuste.

At 6-foot-4 and 307-pounds, Powers is another big lineman from the conference, but unlike Cajuste, he should be regulated to a role in the inside in the NFL. During his time at Oklahoma, Powers didn’t allow a sack in 1,125 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. This could likely be due to his mean style of play.

Here is what NFL Media scout Lance Zierlein had to say about the guard in his combine write up;

"Rugged, three-year starter for well-regarded Oklahoma offensive line. Year playing junior college ball due to a lack of scholarship continues to feed his grudge-holding play demeanor on the field. Powers has decent play strength and operates with solid technique but lacks the bend and athletic ability teams look for in a starting guard. He could be a backup guard with a chance to work his way up the ladder for a team who values force over finesse."

Sounds like solid value at the top of the sixth round for me, because, as you know, the Cardinals could use all the offensive line talent they could get.