The NFL draft will be held from April 28-30 in Chicago. The Cardinals have addressed many of their biggest needs through the Chandler Jones trade and free agency but will aim to add more impact pieces. We'll take a look at each position group over the next few weeks as the draft beckons.
Draft primer: Running back
Cardinals under contract:David Johnson; Chris Johnson; Andre Ellington; Stepfan Taylor; Kerwynn Williams
Need: Low
Images of the running backs projected to get selected in the NFL draft
Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott: Projected top-15 pick
Alabama's Derrick Henry: Projected second-rounder
Utah's Devontae Booker: Projected second-rounder
Louisiana Tech's Kenneth Dixon: Projected second-rounder
Notre Dame's C.J. Prosise: Projected third-rounder
Arkansas' Jonathan Williams: Projected third-rounder
Indiana's Jordan Howard: Projected third-rounder
Alabama's Kenyan Drake: Projected third-rounder
Arkansas' Alex Collins: Projected fourth-rounder
California's Daniel Lasco: Projected fourth-rounder
UCLA's Paul Perkins: Projected fourth-rounder
Florida's Kelvin Taylor: Projected fifth-rounder
San Jose State's Tyler Ervin: Projected fifth-rounder
West Virginia's Wendell Smallwood: Projected fifth-rounder
Eastern Michigan's Darius Jackson: Projected sixth-rounder
Illinois' Josh Ferguson: Projected sixth-rounder
Texas Tech's DeAndre Washington: Projected sixth-rounder
Georgia's Keith Marshall: Projected sixth-rounder
TCU's Aaron Green: Projected seventh-rounder
New Mexico's Jhurell Pressley: Projected seventh-rounder
Analysis: The Cardinals re-signed Chris Johnson earlier this offseason and he is slated to back up David Johnson, with Andre Ellington in the mix as a change-of-pace back. Stepfan Taylor won the battle for the fourth running back spot in training camp last year and will aim to hold onto that role. Kerwynn Williams will also compete for a roster spot. The Cardinals recently cut Marion Grice and Robert Hughes , but the quintet on the roster is a solid group.
The top three on the depth chart looks set while Taylor and Williams are both proven commodities, which makes drafting a running back a low possibility. If it happens, the player would likely need to be able to contribute on special teams, since Johnson, Johnson and Ellington aren't expected to be used much, if at all, in that capacity.
Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott is expected to be the first running back chosen, with Alabama's Derrick Henry a likely second-round pick. Utah's Devontae Booker, Louisiana Tech's Kenneth Dixon and Indiana's Jordan Howard are also expected to be picked early. Former Chandler High and UCLA running back Paul Perkins is projected to get taken in the middle rounds, while Arizona State running back/wide receiver D.J. Foster is a borderline draft choice.
David Johnson showed star flashes in 2015 and the Cardinals have enviable depth behind him with Chris Johnson and Ellington. The latter two are on expiring contracts, so there is wiggle room to add a running back with the future in mind, but the cupboard looks full in regards to 2016 playing time.
