The Arizona Cardinals have continued their perfect draft by selecting Oregon edge rusher Jordan Burch with their third-round pick.
In the first round, they selected one of the most talented defenders in the class, Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen, with the 16th pick. They followed it up with an absolute steal of a pick, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, in the second round.
The Cardinals have allowed talented prospects to fall to them, using their picks to fill out their already balanced roster. They continued the strategy in the third round.
Arizona Cardinals select Oregon edge rusher Jordan Burch in third round
The Cardinals have spent their first three picks on defense, continuing the overhaul of the unit that they began in free agency.
Jordan Burch, the Cardinals newest addition, is an explosive edge rusher with the tools to succeed in the NFL. At 6'4" and 279 pounds, Burch ran an impressive 4.67-second forty-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
He is able to convert his speed off the edge into power, pushing offensive tackles back towards opposing quarterbacks. Nurch plays with a high motor that will make him an instant favorite in Arizona.
As a senior at Oregon, Jordan Burch tallied 8.5 sacks and 31 tackles in just 11 games.
With the Cardinals, Jordan Burch joins a deep group of edge rushers. Josh Sweat, Baron Browning Jr., Zaven Collins, and B.J. Ojulari are all set to play a role in Jonathan Gannon's defense. Burch will have the opportunity to carve out a spot for himself in that group.
Clearly, the Arizona Cardinals were not satisfied with the performance of their defense in 2024. They have spent nearly all of their resources this offseason on transforming the unit into one of the most complete groups in the NFL.
After picking Walter Nolen and Will Johnson, the Arizona Cardinals were already clear draft winners. They have cemented that status with this pick.