Arizona Cardinals: 7-round mock draft

Round 4: CB Ryan Smith (North Carolina Central)

Every year, Steve Keim makes a move from out of nowhere during the draft that shocks a lot of people. Whether it was drafting John Brown, Rodney Gunter or other small school players, Keim has prided himself finding talent wherever he can.

It’s paid off for him and he’s been great at finding gems that might not even be on other teams’ boards. The Cardinals need to add another cornerback to the roster. While Patrick Peterson locks down one side of the field and the team has Tyrann Mathieu that plays just about everywhere, they need another young talent to go with Justin Bethel and make the defensive back room complete.

North Carolina Central cornerback Ryan Smith is one of those small school defensive backs that is wowing a lot of people. He managed to get himself invited to the combine and he had a really strong showing there. He’s got the size and length in a cornerback that the Cardinals want in their defense.

He’s also got great speed and isn’t afraid to get up and play physically. In the NFC West, it’s all about finding the gems that other teams might not target and Keim will no doubt pick a player that many aren’t expecting again this season. Smith should be the guy in the fourth round and he would fill a major need.

Next: Round 5