A closer look at the positions the Arizona Cardinals could target at the NFL combine in Indianapolis:
Positions of need: There isn't just one position the Cardinals need to upgrade -- there are at least three, with their top priority obviously being quarterback. The Cardinals don't have a projected starter on the roster and might address the position in free agency, but with a deep class of quarterbacks coming out this year, the draft might be where Arizona finds a long-term answer. The other positions the Cardinals need to focus on at the combine will be wide receiver and cornerback. Both are positions that have little depth and can use stability beyond next season. At wide receiver, the Cardinals are looking for a player who can be a No. 2 or No. 3 option this season and take over Larry Fitzgerald's role in the next year or two. At cornerback, Arizona needs a stable option to start opposite Patrick Peterson, a role they've been unable to nail down the past couple of seasons.
Three players the Cardinals should focus on at combine:
Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State: After the early run of quarterbacks, which the Cardinals will miss unless they trade up, Rudolph will be the best quarterback standing. Arizona should focus on him at the combine -- he's 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds and has the intangibles and demeanor that will help him be patient during his transition to the NFL.
Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama: He might not have the size NFL teams covet, at 6-1 and 190 pounds, but he has everything else. Playing alongside and learning from Fitzgerald would benefit Ridley, and that year or two would allow him to add bulk so he can be a durable, productive receiver.
Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa: He has the size (6-1, 192 pounds) needed to be an NFL cornerback and has the speed, quickness and pedigree to make an instant impact in any scheme. He'd be the ideal complement opposite Peterson, giving the Cardinals one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL.
