Does the Cardinals release of Davis-Gaither and Nichols Tip Off their Draft Plan? Man, I Hope So!

By Walter Mitchell

I found it highly curious that the first two much expected cap moves the Cardinals made yesterday were LB Akheem Davis Gaither and DT Billal Nichols. 

Draft-related reasons?

Could their First Two Pick be a LB and a DT?

Round 1 LB Possibilities (34-ILB, 34-OLB:

Overviews provided by Lance Zierlein of nfl.com:

https://www.nfl.com/prospects

* Arvell Reese, Ohio St.--- 7.04 --- Micah Parsons

Overview

At 20 years old, Reese is still growing into his frame and his game but learning from James Laurinaitis (linebackers coach) and Matt Patricia (defensive coordinator) should give him a head start in acclimating to the pro game. He plays off-ball linebacker and stand-up edge with the talent to post impact production from either spot. His third-down versatility adds alignment variety and helps camouflage defensive intent. His run diagnosis and angles of attack are average, but he flows quickly once he triggers, using assertive hands to stack and play off blocks. He’s fast in pursuit and his tackle finishing could become elite. His rush is kinetic and tough for tackles to mirror. It’s under construction, but Reese has already sprouted go-to moves and rush plans that need more refinement. He might need some runway to hit his stride, but his rare blend of traits, explosiveness and versatility could become a perfect storm of chaos once a defense decides how to deploy him.

* Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL) --- 6.70 --- Brandon Graham

Overview

Note taker, grudge holder and block destructor with a compact frame and defensive tackle play strength. Bain is ill-tempered with his take-ons, hitting blockers with heavy hand strikes. He plays through tight ends and can anchor against tackles and double teams. However, his lack of length can lead to him being smothered if he doesn’t land the first strike. He can bend and flip his hips at the top of the rush, swipe away punches and generate a strong bull rush. His playoff run showed an ability to generate quick wins if tackles are passive in setting to him. He can rush off the edge or mismatch guards as a sub-package rusher. Bain’s explosive power and toughness should translate, giving him a high floor as an NFL starter.

* David Bailey, Texas Tech --- 6.78 --- Nik Bonitto

Overview

Bailey is extremely hard for linemen to stay in front of. He moves like a slashing two guard, blending explosiveness and fluidity to slip, bend and flow around blocks from multiple angles. His leverage and lower-body flexion create game-over scenarios once he reaches pocket depth with even a minor lead. He can be stalled when a blocker latches his hands in deep, but Bailey’s elusiveness and suddenness make clean clamps a relative rarity. He’s instinctive with natural mid-rush counters, but he must continue developing hand usage and crafting rush plans for when protection shifts his way. Teams can run at Bailey due to his lack of anchor and take-on presence, but his work-around quickness will also lead to tackles for loss. His draft grade is slightly tempered by a lack of desired size/length, but the explosiveness and athletic talent is truly elite. His sack production should carry over to the NFL as an odd-front rush linebacker with Pro Bowl upside.

* Sonny Styles, Ohio St. --- 6.42 --- Fred Warner

Overview

Styles began his Ohio State career as a safety, but he settled in at linebacker in 2024. He’s improved in diagnosing play development. The former Buckeye diffuses block attempts with crisp hand strikes and leverages run fits with force/anchor strength. There are times when he slips back into a containment-based approach, but he has plenty of short-area quickness and pursuit speed to get where he needs to go. He can make an impact from multiple spots on the field and is a plus man-cover talent. Styles is an emerging player with the traits and versatility to garner longer looks by NFL evaluators. He could see his stock soar leading up to draft day.

Round 1-2 DT Possibilities:

* Peter Woods, Clemson ---6.36 --- Christian Wilkins

Overview

Woods is a young interior defender with room to add play strength as he fills out his frame. He’s not a pure one- or two-gap fit, but he’s capable in both schemes. He plays with good lower-body explosiveness into initial contact, keeping his hands and feet synced to work around blocks when needed. He’s more of an active brawler than double-team eating tree stump. Shorter arms allow blockers to crowd his frame and force him to fight harder at the point. Yet, his ability to overtake and win as the rep progresses is impressive. He lacks quick-win talent as a solo rusher, but he’s fully functional as part of a pocket-collapsing collective. His 2024 tape might be a better representation of his upside, but Woods clearly has the potential to become a solid starter in an even front.

* Caleb Banks, Florida --- 6.39 --- Gervin Dexter Sr.

Overview

Big-framed, long-limbed interior defender whose play needs more polish to consistently match his traits. Banks has a quick first step. He can stun/control single blocks when his hand strikes are timely and accurate, but he needs faster disengagement to increase his tackle count. His high center of gravity allows double teams to generate displacement, so a move to odd-front end could be in his best interest as a run defender. Like a grappler without submission knowledge, Banks is still learning to unlock his physical advantages so he can turn them into sacks.

* Kayden McDonald, Ohio St.--- 6.39 --- DJ Reader

Overview

A talented run defender, McDonald plays with natural leverage and rattles pads with his initial contact. He’s quick to locate ball-carriers, play off of blocks and rally to the action. His technique is a bit underdeveloped and he’s not a natural drain-clogger against double teams, but he still managed an unusually high tackle rate as an interior defender. Quicker hand strikes should allow for more efficient reps and earlier wins at the point. He offers limited rush value, so his money will be made by giving grief to centers and guards as an even-front nose tackle with starting potential.

* Lee Hunter, Texas Tech --- 6.29 ---Dalvin Tomlinson

Overview

Hunter is a two-gapping nose tackle for odd or even fronts. He has the size, strength and length to do battle in the heart of the trenches but requires better block take-on technique to sit firmer in his grass. He won’t win in the gaps, but he can stack and shed single blocks or slide and stabilize his run fit against zone blocks. Hunter’s girth and length are advantages when aligning over the center as a run defender. He doesn’t have enough quickness or skill as a rusher to see many passing downs, but he can dent the pocket with his power. Hunter projects as an early down space-eater who can make interior offensive linemen work for their gaps.

* Christen Miller, Georgia --- 6.34 --- Kenny Clark

Overview

Miller is an even-front nose tackle who can rattle pads and gain early advantages at the point of attack. He has good stack-and-shed against single blocks but lacks the prototypical mass of a space-eater. He will lose his anchor to double teams and strong angle blocks at times. He’s average at matching lateral movement off the snap but is generally aware of play design and hustles across gaps to squeeze run lanes. He’ll continue to bulk up and should become a good starter who is more consistent than dominant along the interior.

Super Wild Card:

* Landon Robinson, Navy --- flashes of Aaron Donald

Landon Robinson Pro Day UNOFFICIAL 

Bradley Reisenfeld

@bradareisenfeld

Hands 9.18 Arms 31.68 Wing 77.28 Height 511.2 Weight 293 Had he been invited to combine this is how he would rank. Bench Press 30 Reps (2nd) Vertical 32.5 (6th) Broad Jump 9”2’ (9th) 40 yard 4.8 (3rd) 20 yard shuttle 4.48 (1st) 3 Cone Drill 7.32 (1st)

5:33 PM · Mar 5, 2026

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68.8K

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Look at these reps from Landon Robinson from the Shrine Bowl: I mean, WOW.

https://x.com/IC_Draft/status/2015961744808493262?s=20

Watch these highlights!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7jx7HLub0o

Commentary:

I have been seeing a number of Simulated Mocks from Cardinals

 fans and pundits where the first 3-4 picks are all offensive players.

For example:

As much as these are a very good players in their own right, for the Cardinals to trade down again and pass on one of the 4 defensive studs at the top of this draft and then wait until their 6th pick to try to address the holes in the team's defensive line would be another mistake, unless the Cardinals have made major signings at the ED, LB and DT positions in free agency.

MIKE LAFLEUR

@MikeLaflAURA

Again, this is the same team that passed on Adrian Peterson to take Levi Brown for the sake of need. You have draft analysts like Trevor Sikkema saying Jeremiyah Love the only blue-chip player in the class. It’s not egregious at all, spare me the position value bullshit.

Walter B J Mitchell

@WBJMItch

What's really bullshit - the Cardinals' defense was the worst tackling team in the NFL, near last in all categories and the last 3 years under JG/NR went 30th, 29th and 30th in sacks. Passing on defensive studs for drafting any RB at #3 at this time would be a colossal dereliction. This defense up 29.8 ppg vs NFC West. Did you sit through that? And you still want a RB art #3? C'mon, man!

That's my argument in a nutshell.

When are the Cardinals ever going to get serious about their defense?

They have a golden opportunity to draft two defensive studs with their first two picks. Like they should have done in 2023 when they passed on Will Anderson Jr. and Brian Branch.

The Cardinals cannot allow this to happen again.