Round 1 (#16) - Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
With Antrel Rolle moving to free safety, the Cardinals came into the draft with a need at CB.  Cromartie was probably one of their targets all along, and I like the pick.  There are questions about his level of competition, but in terms of physical tools, Cromartie has everything you look for in a big-time corner.  I think he’ll really benefit from going up against Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin in practice every day, and his ceiling is probably as high as his cousin Antonio Cromartie.  However, he still needs some work with his technique, so don’t be surprised if it takes him a few games at the nickel before he’s inserted in the starting lineup.  Good value at a need position, a good pick for Arizona.

Grade: B

Round 2 (#50) – CalaisCampbell, DE, Miami Fl.
Campbell was once projected as a first round pick, but wasn’t as dominant as he could have been throughout his career at Miami.  A classic underachiever, some question his work ethic and commitment, but there’s no denying his talent.  The Cardinals seem to draft for pure talent more than anything, and Campbell has the size and athleticism to become an impact defensive lineman at the NFL level.  The question is whether or not he’ll put the work into it, which is why he fell to pick #50.  The Cardinals needed a pass rusher, and although Campbell will likely line up at DE in their 3-4 or 4-3 scheme, he can bring the heat to the quarterback, although his best talent is probably as a run stuffer on the outside.  This was another good pick on a guy who fits the defense and could get immediate playing time.

 Grade: B

Round 3 (#81) – Early Doucet, WR, LSU
Early Doucet in round three is a very good value pick, and with Bryant Johnson gone and Anquan Boldin upset about his contract situation, it’s plausible that in a few years the Cardinals starting wideouts will be Fitzgerald and Doucet- not a bad tandem.  He doesn’t have great straight-line speed, but Docuet has adequate quickness and good hands.  He’s also experienced and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the #3 WR by the end of his rookie season.  Doucet was another good pick by the Cardinals, who always seem to grab talented and well-known prospects that fall for unknown reasons. 

 Grade: B+

 Round 4 (#116) – Kenny Iwebema, DE, Iowa
Somewhat of an enigma, Iwebema was once viewed as a potential day one DE prospect.  He struggled with injuries throughout his career at Iowa, and never really developed into the type of prospect he could have been.  For the Cardinals, this pick raises a few questions because they went DE with Campbell in round two and I’m not sure Iwebema has the speed to play OLB in a 3-4 scheme.  He ran a 4.91 at the combine and never really showed the type of burst you’d like off the edge.  He’s got potential to be an NFL player, but I’m not sure the need was there and I don’t think he really fits the system in Arizona.

 Grade: C

Round 5 (#149) – Timothy Hightower, HB, Richmond
Hightower was the first of two Richmond Spiders off the board in the 2008 NFL Draft, and was somewhat of a surprise pick.  There were still some better HB prospects on the board, but the Cardinals wanted to go with this small school workhorse.  Hightower has good size with adequate but not game-breaking speed, and can catch the ball out of the backfield.  He was the featured offensive player at Richmond, and will likely take some time to adjust to the speed of the NFL.  You can label this pick a reach if you’d like, but I think the Cardinals really liked the kid and took a shot on him.  There were other backs on the board that would’ve been better picks, so I’m not very high on this pick.  However, he can’t be much worse than the J.J. Arrington experiment.

 Grade: C+

 Round 6 (#185) – Christopher Harrington, DE, Texas A&M
Harrington is a possibility at OLB in the 3-4, but like Iwebema, he doesn’t have ideal speed for the position.  At 264 pounds, he won’t fit in as a 3-4 DE, so it’s hard to see how this pick will help the defense.  Perhaps there’s some special teams potential, but there were other pass rushers on the board at this slot and Cardinals still need to do a better job getting after the Bulgers and Hasselbecks of the NFC West if they want to win the division.

 Grade: D

Round 7 (#225) – Brandon Keith, OT, Northern Iowa
The Cardinals do need another OT and Brandon Keith is arguably a 4^th round talent.  However, he still has some injury and commitment issues (quit the team twice at Oklahoma).  In terms of raw talent, it’s all there, and with Rus Grimm on board, it’s quite possible this kid could be coached up into a starter down the line.  Great pick for a team that loves taking highly rated players who fall (remember Elton Brown?).

Grade: B+

 I think the Cardinals hit on their first three picks, and it will be interesting to see what type of player Cromartie develops into with some seasoning.  He could be a star.  Campbell and Doucet are also two guys who could pay big dividends down the line.  I think the Cardinals did as well as any team in rounds 1-3.  The Hightower pick was questionable, but HB’s are a dime a dozen and Edgerrin James still has some left.  I loved the Brandon Keith pick in the seventh round but the one thing I did not like about the Cardinals draft was their preference for slow run-stopping DE’s.  The Cards were stout against the run last year and clearly came into this draft needing an impact pass rusher or at least a project pass rusher with potential.  They failed to address that need, and after losing Calvin Pace, I still don’t think they can compete in a division with the pass-happy Seahawks and Rams.

 Overall Grade: B