Teaching Points (Kanoff to Kirk) Thanks to a Ronnie Laybold tweet here is the breakdown of a successful flat pass left by QB Charles Kanoff versus a Cover 3 zone to WR Christian Kirk. Good quick over-the-top release by Kanoff (#6) Authentic Gabe Holmes Jersey , who quickly squares his shoulders to the target (textbook) and hits Christian Kirk (#13) in stride.Would like to see Kanoff’s tee (ball) position during his dropback be a little higher.Kirk catches the football cleanly with his hands, not his body, which allows him to accelerate for extra yards after the catch. WR Trent Sheffield makes a good, alert side block on chasing NCB Bene Benwikere (#23)..Excellent fan block by LT John Wetzel (#73) on RDE Cap Capi (#61). Not good by Capi to stop his feet.Good double team on DT Olsen Pierre (#72) by RG Will House (#60) and C Daniel Munyer (#62). That’s a good inside pass rusher they nullified, which is the key to the play. Although Pierre stands up on the snap and gets off the ball too late. Poor technique.Notice because of the effective double team and fan block by the LT—-the wide open passing lane the offense creates for Kanoff and Kirk.DT Rodney Gunter (#95) stands up too quickly off the snap and gets planted by the RG who could be flagged for holding behind the top Gunter’s left shoulder.RT Will Holden (#69)executes a perfect fan block away from the play.RB T.J. Logan (#22) is protecting against an A gap blitz, but none comes and the pocket is clean.Defense is playing zone. LB Scooby Wright (#56) gets to his hook zone, but doesn’t react quicker to Kirk who crosses Wright’s face. Wright needs to communicate with the CB. The key here is to play man in your zone until the receiver leaves it when you pass the man over to the defender in the next zone (here it’s the NCB in the flat).The nickel CB (#23) Bene Benwikere has the flat, but like Wright, he’s late to react and only gets one hand on Kirk. In zones you have to react quickly to the ball because ideally you want to arrive just after the ball does so you can bust the play up.The CB (#33) Chris Campbell comes up from his deep third to make the tackle, but over-pursues it, allowing Kirk a possible cutback—-although—-Wright hustles well from the inside to help. The rule for the CB is to break down and to use the sideline as an extra defender, which Campbell did not do.Good grades on this play: QB Kanoff, WR Kirk, LT Wetzel http://www.arizonacardinalsteamonline.com/andy-lee-jersey , LG House, C Munyer, RT Holden, RB Logan, WR Sherfield.Poor grades on this play: RG (couldn’t make his number out—-his hold could have ruined the play), DT Gunter, DT Pierre, DE Capi, LB Wright, NCB Benwikere, RCB Campbell.Excellent play design versus zone by Mike McCoy. Double teaming the play-side tackle with the LG and C. Filling/protecting the opposite A gap with the RB. Running the WR quickly into the gray area between and underneath the ILB and the flat NCB and setting up a crack-back block by the WR. The Arizona Cardinals (3-12) are the worst team in the NFL, currently holding the top pick in the 2019 draft if the season were to end today.ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Cardinals the best chance at the top pick at 84 percent. With only one game remaining in their schedule, it will become a reality.Whether Steve Keim will remain as the Cardinals’ general manager is still anyone’s guess but whoever it is, they will have a big decision to make in the draft.Should the Cardinals keep their top pick and draft Nick Bosa? Or should they trade down and acquire more picks?Here’s my first Cardinals mock draft of the year:Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsRound 1 (1): Nick Bosa - DE Authentic Markus Golden Jersey , Ohio StateBirth Date: October 23, 1997 (21 years old)Measurement: 6-4 263lbsCareer Stats: 77 tackles, 29 TFL, 17.5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 TD (29 games)2018 Stats: 17 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 1 TD (3 games)Bosa will be the top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He’s consistently good at getting after the quarterback. He generates pressure and has a quick get off unlike any other in this upcoming class. Despite playing only three games this season, Bosa was dominant in every one of them. I am concerned with his core muscle injury that he suffered against TCU but he should make a full recovery. Of course the Cardinals could trade down to acquire more picks especially with quarterback-needy teams if Oregon QB Justin Herbert declares. But, Bosa would be the best player available. Can’t get any safer than that.With the way Keim has been drafting, taking Bosa with the first pick might just save his career as the Cardinals’ GM. He’ll be a defensive end in a 4-3 or a outside linebacker in a 3-4. Check out this Nick Bosa article written by Seth Cox.Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesRound 2 (34): D.K. Metcalf - WR, Ole MissBirth Date: December 14 http://www.arizonacardinalsteamonline.com/deone-bucannon-jersey , 1997 (21 years old)Measurement: 6-4 230lbsCareer Stats : 67 receptions, 1228 receiving yards, 14 touchdowns (21 games)2018 Stats: 26 receptions, 569 yards, 5 TD (7 games)I have read and seen one too many mock drafts projecting Metcalf to be picked in the top-15 or out of the first round entirely. I will be one of those people that projects him to be selected just out of the first round. He’ll post really good numbers at the NFL combine, probably to run a sub 4.4 40, have a vertical jump of 38 inches, and benching at least 20 reps. He has the highest potential out of all the receivers in this draft class. But his stat line isn’t exactly the greatest. He suffered a season-ending neck injury vs. Arkansas that will scare some teams.Look at guys like CB Byron Jones and S/LB Obi Melifonwu. They both destroyed the combine. But there are differences between the two. Jones was drafted in the bottom of the first round and was recently selected to his first Pro Bowl as a cornerback for the Cowboys. Melifonwu, the Raiders’ 2017 second-round pick, was cut and recently signed as a backup defensive back for the Patriots. Metcalf will be a high-risk, high-reward pick. But he is worth the selection if he can reach his full potential. Rosen needs more weapons with Fitzgerald possibly set to retire. Metcalf is especially good after the catch and the Cardinals will need all the yards they can get. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesRound 3 (65): Isaiah Buggs - DT, AlabamaBirth Date: August 24, 1997 (21 years old)Measurement: 6-5 286lbsCareer Stats: 93 tackles, 16.5 TFL http://www.arizonacardinalsteamonline.com/josh-bynes-jersey , 11 sacks, 3 PD, 2 FF, 1 FR (26 games)2018 Stats: 42 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 3 PD, 2 FF, 1 FR (13 games)Buggs may just be a product of the talent around him but he does a really good job at finishing his plays. This is his first year as a starter and impressed everyone with his 9.5 sacks. People may say that Quinnen Williams and Raekwon Davis did all the work to help Buggs get his sack total but he deserves a little credit himself. He is stout against the run and shed some blocks of his own. The Cardinals are in need of players with a winning mentality. Buggs has experienced a lot of success at Alabama. He can play all over the defensive line in either a 3-4 or 4-3 system.Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesRound 4: Max Scharping - OT, Northern IllinoisBirth Date: August 10, 1996 (22 years old)Measurement: 6-6 311lbsNot a very popular name but his 2017 and 2018 production says it all. Scharping played both tackle position at NIU and is projected to play guard in the NFL. But in my opinion, he’s better suited to play offensive tackle than guard. He has the production in college to warrant a possible day-two pick but where he’ll be selected will depend on the way he tests at the NFL Combine. He dominated in the MAC conference for what it’s worth. I have a feeling this guy can start and play well right away. The Cardinals would be lucky if he falls to the fourth-round. He’d be a solid third-round pick as well.