The first two days of the NFL Draft are in the books. After selecting Walter Nolen in round one, the Arizona Cardinals kept their hot streak alive by taking Will Johnson and Jordan Burch on night two.
The Cardinals have completely revamped their defense with value picks all across the unit.
Heading into the third and final night of the draft, there are still plenty of intriguing prospects for the Cardinals to target. Arizona currently holds just three picks in the remaining four rounds, so they'll have to make them count.
Top Day 3 draft targets for the Arizona Cardinals
Dont'e Thornton, Tennessee WR
Dont'e Thornton is all speed and height, and not a whole lot else. The Tennessee wideout was used primarily on deep posts and vertical routes, but he consistently burned defensive backs on those plays.
He could serve the same role in Arizona's offense. With Thornton stretching the field vertically, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride would have more space to work with on short and intermediate routes.
Jalen Travis, Iowa State OT
You can never have enough offensive line depth, right?
Iowa State's Jalen Travis is a project on the offesive line. But at 6'8" and with near-35-inch arms and explosive athleticism, he's a project worth taking on. This pick would be based on the hope that Travis can fix his technical deficiencies over time.
Travis could learn behind Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams in his rookie year with no expectations of playing a role. If he's ready, he could step in as the Cardinals' starting right tackle after Williams' contract expires in 2026.
Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia LB
If the Arizona Cardinals choose to continue their defensive overhaul into day three, they should look to Georgia off-ball linebacker Sael Mondon Jr. in the fifth round.
Mondon is an athletic linebacker with developed instincts. In his three collegiate seasons, Mondon totaled over 200 tackles. With the Cardinals, he could rotate in with Mack Wilson Sr., Akeem Davis-Gaither, and Owen Pappoe. Mondon could make an immediate impact on special teams.