What we learned about Arizona Cardinals at NFL scouting combine

Posted by author March 3, 2025 NFL

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The NFL combine will be one group of data points used by teams when they draft players next month. College tape, interviews, background research and college pro days are all as important, if not more so, than the numbers put on display this week in Indianapolis.

Still, the combine offers a useful window into the offseason ahead, both because of the on-field workouts and because of interviews with players, coaches and executives.

So ahead of free agency beginning on March 12, this is what we learned about the Cardinals at the combine:

Trenches will be a priority

Entering this week, the Cardinals’ biggest offseason needs appeared to be along the offensive and defensive lines.

Now, we know the team feels the same way. On Tuesday, head coach Jonathan Gannon emphasized those units when describing his football philosophy.

“It’s very clear it starts with the offensive and defensive line,” Gannon said. “… It’s about blocking and tackling. Those two positions impact that before anybody does.”

Earlier in the day, general manager Monti Ossenfort praised the defensive linemen available in this year’s draft.

“Quantity is the big thing that stands out right away,” Ossenfort said. “We’ve gone a couple years now where there hasn’t been quantity up front on the defensive line. … There’s always gonna be a premium placed on defensive front players that can affect the quarterback.”

Put it all together and it’s clear the Cardinals understand the reality that was evident on the field last fall: Their defense did not have sufficient talent up front. And on offense, they need to replace their starting guards — Will Hernandez and Evan Brown — who are both set to hit free agency next week.

Plenty of speed available at wide receiver

The Cardinals are mostly set at football’s most exciting positions. They don’t need a quarterback, a running back, a number one wide receiver or a tight end. What they could use, though, is a player with elite speed to complement their current group of physical, big-bodied weapons.

If they want to add one of those weapons at wide receiver, there will be plenty of options available in the draft.

Texas’ Matthew Golden — a potential first-round pick — led all receivers with a 4.29 in the 40-yard dash. That’s likely too steep a price for the Cardinals to spend on their receiver room, but Golden isn’t alone. Nine other players broke the 4.40 mark: Dont’e Thornton (4.30), Chimere Dike (4.34), Jaylin Lane (4.35), Arian Smith (4.36), Tai Felton (4.37), KeAndre Lambert-Smith (4.38), Jordan Watkins (4.38), Isaiah Bond (4.39), Jaylin Noel (4.39).

Athletic standouts up front

With a few notable exceptions, this class of defensive linemen — especially at edge rusher — is characterized by hyper-talented players with questionable production profiles. The talent element was certainly on display at the combine. Here were a few standouts:

Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

Harmon, who weighed in at 313 pounds, ran a 4.95-second 40-yard dash. That’s a rare combination of size and speed, which shows in his ability to win off the line of scrimmage. He should be a first-round pick and one of the first interior defensive linemen off the board.

James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

Pearce faces questions about his work against the run, and his sack total dipped from 10 to 7.5 as a junior. But his talent is undeniable. He ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, easily the best at the position. His 10-yard split of 1.56 seconds was even more telling, revealing an elite explosiveness.

Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M

Entering the combine, Stewart looked like somewhat of a tweener prospect — classified by some as an edge rusher, by some as an interior lineman. This week, he weighed in lighter than expected, posted a 1.58-second 10-yard split in the 40 and led all edge rushers with a 10-foot-11 broad jump. That combination has him looking more like a true edge rusher than he did a week ago.

Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas

Dipping into the second tier of edge rushers, Jackson is another prospect who impressed with his athleticism. He led the position group with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and placed behind only Stewart in the broad jump. That level of athleticism isn’t as evident in his tape but it should be appealing to teams on Day 2.