National Football League

Cardinals mock draft sampler: Lots of love for running backs

Published Apr. 9, 2015 12:51 p.m. ET

foxsports

The NFL season never really ends, it just moves from one stage to the next.

Once the Patriots had been crowned champs in Glendale, talk turned to the Scouting Combine. When that ended, free agency began. Now that the big names have been signed, the veteran combine is over and the owners meetings have concluded, we've reached one of the two remaining lulls in the calendar year that the NFL hasn't managed to fill with events -- yet.

Leave it to the media to fill that void until the NFL Draft in Chicago (April 30-May 2). The mock drafts are coming from every outlet. Some national outlets actually have insight from GMs, scouts and executives around the league. Some local outlets have no contacts beyond the local team yet throw their hat in the ring anyway.

There's not much actual news value, if any, to mock drafts, but it's all in good fun. America's insatiable appetite for the NFL must be fed, and Arizona is no different.

The Cardinals have been on the cusp of greatness the past two seasons, only to be derailed by bad luck in the standings and on the injury front. GM Steve Keim promised to be active and aggressive in free agency, and he fulfilled that promise with a half-dozen key signings.

Now it's time to turn his attention to the team's remaining needs and the Draft. Chief among those needs are a pass rushing threat, a running back and maybe an inside linebacker, a cornerback and a center.

With three weeks until the draft, here is a sampling of predictions for the Cardinals' selection at No. 24 in the first round.

Peter Schrager, FOX Sports: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: Bud Dupree, OLB/DE, Kentucky

Charles Davis, NFL.com: Eli Harold, DE/OLB, Virginia

Charley Casserly, NFL Network: Johnson

Rob Rang, CBS Sports: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Gurley

Dane Brugler, CBS Sports: Cam Erving, C, Florida State

Pat Kirwan, CBS Sports: Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon

Will Brinson, CBS Sports: Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State