Arizona Cardinals 2015 Draft Preview

Apr 23, 2015 - 6:38 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Cardinals have enough talent to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender if they can keep Carson Palmer healthy and develop a legitimate ground game.

At No. 24 overall, it's conceivable that Wisconsin bell cow Melvin Gordon is around but others looking for a difference-maker in the backfield are well aware they will probably have to jump ahead of the Cards to get one so Arizona is taking a chance if they stand pat. Gordon isn't quite the prospect a healthy Todd Gurley is but he has the vision, natural balance and strength to be a top-tier runner.

Defensively the Cardinals generated most of their pressure with the blitz last season and Todd Bowles, the architect of those schemes, is now in North Jersey. It would be nice to get a player who can get to the opposing QB with little help so edge rushers like Randy Gregory or Shane Ray could be solid secondary options.

2014 Record: 11-5

Top Needs: RB, LB, DL

First Three Picks: No. 24, No. 55, No. 86

Number of Selections: 8 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7)

RECENT FIRST ROUND HISTORY: 2014 - Deone Bucannon (S, Washington State); 2013 - Jonathan Cooper (OG, North Carolina); 2012 - Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame); 2011 - Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU); 2010 - Dan Williams (DT, Tennessee); 2009 - Chris "Beanie" Wells (RB, Ohio State); 2008 - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee State); 2007 - Levi Brown (OT, Penn State); 2006 - Matt Leinart (QB, USC); 2005 - Antrel Rolle (CB, Miami- Florida)