Arizona Cardinals 3-round mock draft: Updated projections after moves for Josh Sweat and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency

The Arizona Cardinals will enter the 2025 NFL season looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw the team finish third in the NFC West with an 8-9 record.

To help propel the Cardinals into playoff contention, they acquired former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat and Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency. However, Arizona lost placekicker Matt Prater, linebacker Kyzir White and offensive lineman Will Hernandez in free agency.

As they look to build around Kyler Murray, the Cardinals hold three picks in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL draft, including the 16th overall selection.

Arizona Cardinals mock draft for 3 rounds in 2025

Sportskeeda's NFL Mock Draft Simulator - Arizona Cardinals

#1 - Round 1, Pick 16: James Pearce Jr</a>., ED, Tennessee

Syndication: Tennessee ED James Pearce Jr. - The Knoxville News-Sentinel - Source: Imagn

Sportskeeda's NFL Mock Draft Simulator has the Arizona Cardinals selecting Tennessee defensive end James Pearce Jr. with the 16th overall pick.

Having lost Julius Okwara and Dennis Gardeck in free agency, this move makes sense in terms of need. However, Pearce is too good of a prospect to pass on.

Pearce had eight sacks in 13 games in 2024 and had a solid 87.1 PFF grade.

"Pearce is the kind of athlete with the production and disruption scores you don't let out of the first round," PFF wrote. "His twitchy movements show difference-making NFL traits that can be situational at worst and All-Pro at best."

#2 - Round 2, Pick 47: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford

NFL: Elic Ayomanor at the Combine - Source: Imagn

Despite drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. with their first-round selection in 2024, the Cardinals could continue to beef up their wide receiver group with Stanford's Elic Ayomanor.

Ayomanor caught 63 passes for 831 yards and six touchdowns last year after putting up over 1,000 yards in 2023. His drop-off in production has been attributed more to the Stanford offense as a whole rather than Ayomanor's play. The big-bodied receiver has an excellent football IQ and is also great at various types of releases.

Adding him alongside Harrison and Trey McBride would be an elite trio for Kyler Murray to throw to.

#3 - Round 3, Pick 78: Tate Ratledge, OG, Georgia

NFL: Tate Ratledge at the Combine - Source: Imagn

After losing Will Hernandez in free agency, the Sportskeeda NFL Mock Draft Simulator has Arizona taking Georgia's Tate Ratledge with its third-round selection.

Keeping Murray upright will be a priority for the Cardinals heading into 2025 and Ratledge can go a long way to helping them achieve that.

Ratledge started three years at Georgia, including a national championship victory in 2022, and despite dealing with some injuries in 2024, he allowed just seven pressures and one sack in over 300 snaps.