The Arizona Cardinals are finally receiving some recognition for their masterful rebuild. General manager Monti Ossenfort absolutely aced the 2025 NFL Draft, and experts have taken notice.
PFF graded all 32 draft classes, and the Cardinals were one of just three teams to receive an A+. Only the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys received the same grade.
Arizona Cardinals' draft receives well-deserved A+ grade
Through the first two rounds of the draft, the Arizona Cardinals were clear winners. Both Walter Nolen and Will Johnson look like massive steals and should be long-term starters on defense.
Throughout the draft, the Cardinals employed a strategy that the most successful teams in the NFL share: sit back, and allow top prospects to fall to you.
Nolen and Johnson were both ranked among the best prospects in the draft by most experts. Daniel Jeremiah had both players in his final top 30.
Not only did both picks provide excellent value, they fit Arizona's needs perfectly. Nolen will have the freedom to grow into his explosive athleticism alongside veterans like Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson, who can serve as mentors for the rookie.
Johnson fills the Cardinals' hole at outside cornerback and fits Jonathan Gannon's defensive scheme perfectly. As PFF says in their grade for the pick, "Pairing Johnson with breakout cornerback Garrett Williams will upgrade a coverage unit that allowed the sixth-highest EPA per dropback."
Arizona kept its defensive overhaul rolling in the later rounds. After picking up Oregon defensive lineman Jordan Burch in the third round, they took Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon in the fourth. Simon should immediately compete for a starting role in Arizona.
The Cardinals drafted Simon's Ohio State teammate, cornerback Denzel Burke, in the fifth round. PFF praised this pick as well, saying, "Burke was one of the best zone coverage cornerbacks in the draft class."
They rounded out the draft by finally addressing the offense with guard Hayden Cooper in the sixth round before returning to the defense in the seventh, drafting Nevada safety Kitan Crawford.
The Arizona Cardinals simply did not have enough talent on their roster to be competitive in 2024. Through free agency and the NFL Draft, they have transformed one of the weakest rosters in the NFL into one of its strongest. Draft grades don't hold much weight in the long run, but it's nice to see the national media finally take notice of Monti Ossenfort's efforts.