Slot CB a Top Priority for 2026 Cardinals
By Walter Mitchell
During the New England Patriots' magical run of AFC Championships and Super Bowl victories, Tom Brady established a new way to expose and attack opposing defenses.
A. Maintain a strong rushing attack using multiple RBs.
B. Exploit coverage mismatches over the middle of the field in 3 waves:
1. Quick passes to slot WRs (see Julian Edelman)
2. Quick and zone hole passes to TEs (see Rob Gronkowski).
3. When the slot WR and TEs are covered, now use the RB on circle, seam, wheel and flat routes (see Charles White).
What Tom Brady's relentless attack of the middle of the field forced defenses to do is find a slot CB capable of covering Edelman, a SS capable of covering Gronk and a MIKE LB capable of covering the RB.
Opposing DCs knew they did not stand a chance playing zone because Brady and his receivers were textbook when it came to stretching the zone and sitting in the holes.
In my opinion, and I have been saying this for over 10 years now, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are the reason why slot CBs (Trent McDuffie), man cover-capable SSs (Brian Branch) and MIKE LBs (Fred Warner) have become a new standard in defensive personnel priorities.
As is so often the case about the Arizona Cardinals is how late they are to adjusting to league-wide trends.
Those of you who have been reading my articles for years now, know how I have been banging on the table as hard as I can for the club to draft a good slot CB who could play man-to-man on the top WRs in the NFC West.
My defensive #1 slot CB pre-draft hope for Cardinals:
2022 - Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
2023 - Brian Branch, SCB/SS, Alabama
2024 - Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
2025 - Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
After all, look at how these WRs and TEs have been feasting game after game on the Cardinals' soft coverage for years:
SEA - Tyler Lockett - 72 / 1,016 / 11 TDs - 21 games
LAR/SEA - Cooper Kupp - 82 / 981 / 6 TDs - 16 games
SF - George Kittle - 62 / 852 / 9 TDs - 15 games
LAR - Tyler Higbee - 58 / 611 / 7 TDs - 17 games
SF - Brandon Aiyuk - 32 / 547 /3 TDs - 8 games
SF - Deebo Samuel - 34 / 431 / 4 TDs - 9 games
LAR - Puka Nacua - 35 / 425 / 3 TDs - 5 games
SEA - Jaxson Smith-Njigba - 27 / 407 / 4 TDs - 6 games
LAR - Davonte Adams - 23 / 207 / 2 TDs - 5 games
NFC West RB1 Success Versus Cardinals:
SF - Christian McCaffrey - 130 / 713 / 5.5 / 7 TDs / 554 receiving yards/ 6 TDs - 9 games
SEA - Kenneth Walker III - 139 / 578 / 4.2 / 3 TDs / 126 receiving yards / 3 TDs - 7 games
LAR - Kyren Williams - 87 / 535 / 6.2 / 6 TDs - 7 games
Last 10 Years of Cardinals' Draft Picks at CB:
2016 - R3 - Brandon Williams - played 1 year of CB in college, was not a slot CB
2018 - R6 - Christian Campbell - didn't stick, was not a slot CB
2019 - R2 - Byron Murphy - was a boundary CB in college, was tried at slot and struggled, hasn't played slot since, 2024 Pro Bowl for MIN
2021 - R4 - Marco Wilson - struggled as boundary CB, was not a slot CB
2021- R6 - Tay Gowan - was traded to PHI
2022 - R7 - Christian Matthew - didn't stick, was not a slot
2023 - R3 - Garrett Williams - thrived early as zone slot CB, struggled as man-to-man slot CB
2023 - R6 - Kei'Trel Clark --- seemed suited to play man-to-man slot, but has not been played there
2024 - R2 - Max Melton - has the tools to play slot but has not been tried there
2024 - R3 - Elijah Jones - in his one game he was brilliant in man coverage, not been tried at slot CB
2024- R7 - Jaden Davis - struggled in limited play this past season, played some slot at Miami (FL).
2025- R2 - Will Johnson --- boundary CB who had up and down rookie season playing 12/17 games, not a slot CB
2025 - R5 - Denzel Burke - was team's most consistent CB in coverage as rookie, not a slot CB
Question --- Despite the Cardinals drafting 7 CBs in the last 3 drafts, is there a legitimate slot CB on the current roster?
Answer --- no, not a time-tested one in either college or pros.
QB RTG vs 2025 Cardinals' CBs from best to worst (plus TD-INT numbers:
59.9 - Elijah Jones --- 0-0 (TDs allowed-INTs)
81.6 - Denzel Burke --- 3-3
93.0 - Max Melton --- 0-0
111.2 - Will Johnson --- 4 - 0
132.5 - Kei'Trel Clark --- 1-0
132.9 - Garrett Williams --- 6-1
139.6 - Jaden Davis --- 1-0
Cardinals' CBs 2025 Tackling Grades from best to worst:
76.7 - Elijah Jones
51.2 - Will Johnson
39.1 - Kei'Trel Clark
34.5 - Denzel Burke
32.8 - Max Melton
29.1 - Garrett Williams
28.9 --- Jaden Davis
Drafting a Slot CB is a huge priority and has been for years
The Cardinals desperately need a sticky man CB who can cover the likes of Puka, Adams, JSN, Kupp, Kirk, Piersall and CMC from the slot.
The best, time-tested slot CBs in the 2026 NFL Draft are Keionte Scott and Treydan Stukes.
Side by side comparison of Keionte Scott, Miami FL and Treydan Stukes, Arizona:
Overall PPF: Scott-88.6 --- Stukes - 90.1
Coverage: 87.1 --- 90.4
Run Defense: 91.2 --- 72.5
Man Coverage: 77.7 --- 83.2
Zone Coverage: 80.0 --- 89.5
Slot Snaps 2025: 489 - 380
WAA: 0.44 (#4 CB FBS) --- 0.20 (#18 CB FBS)
Passer Rating: 69.9 --- 34.4
TD allowed/Ints: 0-2 --- 0-4
Height: 6-0 --- 6-1
Weight: 194 --- 200
40: 4.4 --- 4.3
NFL.com Grade: 6.30 --- 6.24
PFF Big Board rankings: 55 --- 61
Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50
Scott is a dynamic nickelback. He’s an excellent force player, blitzer and energy provider. In underneath coverage, he has excellent eyes, quick feet and ball skills. He wasn’t asked to mirror and match often, but he has the speed and fluidity to do so. He generates a lot of negative plays in the run game by combining his burst, want-to and unique ability to avoid blocks on the way to the ball-carrier. As a blitzer, he has timing, burst and the ability to finish. He will have some fly-by missed tackles in space because of his aggressive approach. He’s an older prospect (24 years old) but he’s ready to contribute immediately and will provide an explosive element to his drafting team.
Matt Miller's Top 50:
47. Keionte Scott, CB, Miami
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 193
Miami's 2025 highlights are full of big plays from Scott. An instinctive, fiery player in coverage, Scott had two interceptions last season -- running them both back for touchdowns -- to go along with two forced fumbles and five sacks as he became the nation's best blitzer from the slot. While he might be typecast as only a slot corner, his toughness in the box and speed make him a starting-caliber prospect.
Evaluation of Treydan Stukes' Strengths:
By Lance Zierlein
Overview
Sixth-year senior and team captain who went from walk-on to unquestioned leader of his defense. Stukes combines his infectious passion with hours of preparation that allow him to play fast. He communicates well from zone and works quickly from route to route. He has work to do in man coverage but possesses an excellent feel for disrupting catch-points at optimal angles despite a lack of ideal length. Stukes is an older prospect and has an ACL tear in his background (2024), but the football has a magnetic pull for him. Coaches will love his football character and versatility as a big nickelback or split safety.
Strengths
- Team captain who sets the standard.
- Work in the film room shows up in his pre-snap recognition.
- Cleanly processes stacked release and route combinations.
- Well-timed flip and run against vertical challenges.
- Very good speed to stay in-phase or make up ground.
- Excels with his ball-tracking and catch timing.
- Accelerates quickly from any change of direction.
- Excellent technique and toughness tackling near the line.
2025 Highlights Keionte Scott - wait until you see this baller in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1qZljTraBE
2025 Highlights Treydan Stukes --- all over the field making plays on the football
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VhI2ag9_PM
Conclusion:
I love the thought of Rueben Bain and Keionte Scott coming to the Cardinals and bringing the all-out baller style of play. I am worried that Keionte will be a top 50 pick, which means the Cardinals would have to take him at #34 or figure out a way to get back into the top 50.
I also love what Treydan Stukes brings as a slot corner. If Keionte is off the board, I will be hoping to see Stukes on the board at pick #65.
Yet, Cardinals' pundits and fan continue to ignore the slot CB position --- just as the Cardinals' GM, HC and DC have done for years on end now.
When will it ever change?
The Rams get it. Why do you think they gave up a 1st round pick for All-Pro slot CB Trent McDuffie?
Reason #1: Jaxson Smith-Njigba.
Reason #2: Christian McCaffrey at slot WR.
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