A lot has changed for the Arizona Cardinals since the start of free agency.
At the start of the offseason, an edge rusher and a defensive tackle were two of the team's biggest needs and mock drafts reflected that.
Now they've added Josh Sweat on the edge and Dalvin Tomlinson at defensive tackle.
With those two spots taken care of, the Cardinals have different priorities heading into the draft.
Athlon Sports' Luke Easterling thinks the Cardinals will actually take a receiver in round one for the second consecutive year.
In a new mock draft, Easterling predicted the Cardinals will select Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden in the first round.
Wide receiver isn't high on the list of needs for the Cardinals in the 2025 NFL Draft after they took Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall last year.
However, it could be the right move for them here given the way the board played out.
Their biggest needs right now are at corner and linebacker. With Will Johnson off the board, there isn't a corner worth taking in this spot. It's also too early to go after a linebacker from this class.
That would open things up a bit for the Cardinals with this pick and Golden could be a good fit for them.
The Cardinals don't have a real speed threat in their wide receiver room right now.
Golden would change that in a big way after running the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds at this year's combine.
He could stretch opposing defenses to open up space for Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride to operate.
He would also give Kyler Murray another dangerous option to throw to as he looks to prove that he can take the Cardinals to the next level.
His production profile isn't too impressive, but he had to compete with Tank Dell for targets as a freshman.
This past season, Golden was the clear top receiving option for a Texas team that made a run to the national semifinals.
He had 201 more receiving yards than anybody else on Texas' roster and 19 more catches than any of their other receivers.
With the Cardinals, he could be a really good third option in the passing game and help the offense as a whole improve.
This mock draft class would also feel like a win for the Cardinals because they addressed their most pressing need in round two. They selected Florida State corner Azareye'h Thomas in the second round of the mock draft.
In round three they ended up with Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott. The fourth round saw them take Mississippi edge Jared Ivey.
If the Cardinals left the real draft with this group it would be a result both the organization and its fans would likely be happy with.
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This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM.