If you only caught the highlight reels from last week’s NFL Draft, you probably remember three things: the Titans making Miami quarterback Cam Ward the no‑brainer No. 1 pick; the Jaguars stunning everyone by jumping to No. 2 for two‑way superstar Travis Hunter; and Shedeur Sanders’ agonizing free‑fall to the fifth round, where Cleveland finally scooped him up at 144.

Amid all that chaos, the Arizona Cardinals stuck to their board, ignored the noise, and quietly walked away with one of the highest‑graded classes of the weekend. Pro Football Focus stamped the haul with an A+, slotting Arizona alongside Carolina and Dallas as the only teams to "crush value compared to the Big Board." 

Sure, a couple outlets were less impressed (the New York Post tossed them a C), but the casual fan isn't going to be happy with any pick that isn't an offensive weapon. The consensus is clear: head coach Jonathan Gannon and GM Monti Ossenfort clearly had a plan going into the weekend, and came out with quite a few holes filled.

Walter Nolen III: The Centerpiece of a Rebuilt Front

Arizona’s first swing came at Pick 16 with Walter Nolen III, the 6‑foot‑4 wrecking ball out of Ole Miss. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Nolen was once the nation’s top high‑school recruit — the kind of talent defensive coordinators drool over.

Some analysts had him pegged a few spots lower thanks to whispers about a poor motor and consistency. The tape says otherwise. In 2024, he stacked 6.5 sacks, 14 TFLs and a 91.6 run‑defense grade, second among FBS tackles. Flip on the film and you see burst, heavy hands, and a knack for squeezing pockets from the inside.

Gannon needed a bully in the middle, and Nolen completes a one‑year facelift that already added veterans Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson. With mentors to lean on, the rookie doesn’t have to be a 60‑snap iron‑man on Day 1 — but his ceiling is Jalen Carter‑level havoc if those whispers about his effort turn out to be just a bunch of noise.

Will Johnson: A First‑Round Talent Hiding in Round 2

Every draft has a "How did he last this long?" moment — some even have a few. Arizona’s version happened at Pick 47, when Michigan corner Will Johnson finally heard his name. Two months ago, mock drafts had him flirting with the top 5. A past knee issue scared off enough teams to push him into Day 2.

For the Cardinals, that was Christmas morning. Johnson allowed a 57.2 passer rating over three college seasons and scored more pick‑sixes than he surrendered touchdowns. At 6‑foot‑2, he’s long enough to play bail‑technique press, twitchy enough to mirror in off‑man, and savvy in zone — the exact Swiss‑army DB Gannon wants for this offense.

Pair him with rising sophomore Garrett Williams, and Arizona suddenly has a corner duo that can let the pass rush hunt. The only caveat is health, but the Cardinals have said that they're comfortable with the results they got from their medical team.

Day Two & Three: Depth, Versatility, and More Defense

Notice a theme? Five of seven picks were defensive, and even the one offensive addition was all about keeping Kyler Murray upright and breathing easy. The Cardinals didn’t go chasing highlight-reel moves — they grabbed the duct tape and went to work. They knew exactly where the house was leaking and spent all weekend patching it up, one smart, no-nonsense pick at a time. It wasn’t the flashiest draft haul, but it might just end up being one of the smartest.

How the New Pieces Fit in 2025

1. Gannon Finally Gets His Toolkit

In Philly, Gannon terrorized offenses with a deep D-line rotation and big, physical corners who could hold their own on the outside. That’s his bread and butter. But last year in Arizona? He didn’t have the ingredients. The pass rush was running on fumes, and the secondary couldn’t hang long enough to let anyone up front do their thing. The results showed up in the numbers — the Cards were near the bottom in just about every major defensive stat, including 29th in yards per play and 31st in pass-rush win rate.

This year? It’s a whole different story. Add Nolen and occasionally Burch to the mix, get B.J. Ojulari back healthy, bring in Josh Sweat, and now you’re talking about a defense that can rotate guys in and keep coming in waves.

No more relying on one guy to do everything — Gannon finally has the tools to throw different looks, stay fresh, and start dictating games instead of reacting to them.

2. Depth = Patience

Because Campbell and Tomlinson can still handle the heavy lifting on early downs, there’s no pressure to throw Nolen out there too often and put him in bad situations. Same deal with Burch behind Sweat — these rookies don’t have to be instant stars. They can come in for specific packages, get their feet wet, and learn from veterans who’ve been through it.

That’s a big deal. It gives them time to grow into their roles without being tossed into the fire before they’re ready. It's development at a manageable pace, not survival mode. And that’s exactly how you set guys up to succeed long-term.

3. Johnson’s Ripple Effect

If Johnson steps up and takes over as the team’s top corner, it opens up a lot of possibilities for the rest of the secondary. Garrett Williams can settle into that CB2 role without having to punch above his weight, and Marco Wilson — who’s been moved around a lot — can focus on the slot where he’s more comfortable. That means fewer coverage breakdowns, fewer mismatches, and a lot more freedom for Gannon to get creative with his looks. When the back end is locked in, it makes life way easier for the pass rush too.

4. Simon shores up the middle.

Arizona’s linebackers struggled last year — plain and simple. Whether it was misdirection, pre-snap motion, or just getting caught out of position on inside runs, things didn’t look sharp in the middle of the field. That’s where Cody Simon comes in. The guy just sees it. He reads keys faster than a teenager scrolls TikTok, and he doesn’t hesitate once he makes a decision.

Pairing him with Kyzir White, who already knows this defense inside and out, could really tighten things up in the middle. You’re talking about two guys who play fast, hit hard, and don’t waste movement.

Zooming Out

The NFC West used to be one of the most predictable divisions in football, but heading into 2025, there's a whole lot of uncertainty across the board — and that’s exactly why the Cardinals might have a shot to make some real noise.

San Francisco is still the assumed top dog to many on paper, but they’ve lost some big names and are banking heavily on their veterans to carry a heavy load. Their roster is still loaded with talent, but they're not the same dominant force they were a couple years ago.

The Rams made a splash by adding Davante Adams, but there's a lot of pressure on that move paying off. Their depth is thin, their stars are aging, and one or two injuries could derail the whole thing quickly. And Seattle? They’re basically in the middle of a soft rebuild. New coach, new system, and a ton of fresh faces after parting ways with core players like Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett.

That leaves Arizona in an interesting spot. They’re not being handed the division by any means, but there's a clear opening if their rookie class hits. The Cards went 8-9 last year with one of the league’s worst defenses and zero pass rush for most of the season.

Guys like Paris Johnson Jr., who locked down the right tackle spot last season, should only keep getting better with more experience. Garrett Williams, who flashed big-time ability once he got back healthy, could take a major step forward with his development as WR2. Michael Wilson, assuming he stays healthy, gives them another strong, dependable option in the passing game alongside Marvin Harrison Jr., who could quickly ascend into the true No. 1 WR territory we expected him to be in last year with a full NFL offseason under his belt.

The Cardinals aren’t trying to patch things together with random veterans — they're banking on their young core taking the next step. If even a few of those guys hit, you're suddenly looking at a team that feels completely different, even if most of the faces are the same.

The schedule helps, too — they play against the AFC South, which features rookie QB Cam Ward and whoever the Colts decide to line up under center. If things click, Arizona won’t just be better — they’ll be in the mix.

From Holes to Hope — The Cardinals Are Climbing

The Cardinals didn’t snag the flashiest headlines, but they might have assembled the most coherent class of 2025. They filled the holes they needed to, took smart risks on high-upside guys, and added solid depth at pretty much every position they targeted.

Now, if Walter Nolen turns into even close to the interior disruptor people saw on his Ole Miss tape, and if Will Johnson stays healthy and plays like the top-10 corner he was projected to be, this defense could flip the script entirely. We’re talking about a unit that went from giving up chunk plays and struggling to get off the field to one that actually sets the tone on Sundays. It’s not a guarantee — because nothing is with young players — but the potential is there. 

It's the kind of swing that can finally pull a team out of the middle of the pack and give fans something real to get behind. The Cardinals don’t need to set the league on fire — they just need to keep building on what they’ve started. Nothing’s promised, but for the first time in a while, it doesn’t feel out of reach.

Stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus.