Cardinals 7-Round 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Arizona does the obvious, plus 1 wild trade
By Ryan Heckman
In the fifth round, the Dolphins go after a versatile offensive lineman and take their third-straight Big Ten product in Illinois' Isaiah Adams. The nice thing with Adams is that, although he projects best at guard, he has experience playing tackle. And, in the NFL, that versatility is huge. Injuries happen, and having that in his back pocket is a big advantage.
This was completely unintentional, as we went with the best players available, but the Cardinals now take their fourth Big Ten player in a row (and it'll soon turn into five). Arizona goes once more with an offensive lineman on the interior, selecting Michigan's Drake Nugent. He's a bit undersized at 6-foot-1 1/2, but has a strong upper body that he makes it up with.
With their final pick, the Cardinals take another linebacker. This time, it's Curtis Jacobs out of Penn State. Jacobs is a fairly athletic three-year starter who brings good speed (a 4.58 at the Combine) and, as a seventh-round pick, you can't do much better here. He's good against the run, especially chasing down outside zone types. Tackling is sound and technique is there.