Huge UDFA predicted to have biggest impact in 2025 for Cardinals
Huge UDFA predicted to have biggest impact in 2025 for Cardinals PFN believes defensive tackle Elijah Simmons will make the biggest impact among their rookie free agents in 2025
The Arizona Cardinals have had undrafted rookies make an impact. Over the last more than a decade, rookie free agents like Tony Jefferson, Trent Sherfield, Zeke Turner, Dennis Gardeck and Emari Demercado. Last year, receiver Xavier Weaver made the team, although he was inactive for most of the season.
This year, the Cardinals added six rookie free agents.
Which of those six has the best chance to make an impact in 2025?
According to Pro Football Network, that player will be defensive tackle Elijah Simmons
The Arizona Cardinals' defense finished as one of the worst in the NFL a season ago (ranked 27th in PFSN's Defense+ metric). The run defense was porous, ranking 28th in success rate. Despite adding veteran Calais Campbell and drafting Walter Nolen III, this unit must continue adding depth to its defensive front.
Elijah Simmons brings a unique blend of size, strength, and explosiveness that makes him a potential difference-maker on early downs at the next level. Built like a massive tree stump at 6-2, 340 pounds, Simmons explodes off the snap and immediately creates problems for interior offensive linemen.
Though he didn't log a high snap count at Tennessee, there's no shortage of tape showing him overwhelming opponents and muddying up run lanes. Simmons isn't likely to contribute much on passing downs, but he could add value against the run as a space-eater who can take on double teams.
That is going to be a tough ask for a player who logged 830 total snaps in six years in college. And it will especially hard to crack this roster that is eight men deep on the defensive line. As it is, at least one defensive lineman will have to be cut or traded to make room for Nolen. As a 3-4 base defense, when the Cardinals are in nickel defense, only two DTs are on the field at a time.
Now, Simmons making the practice squad is a reasonable ask, and if Dalvin Tomlinson or Bilal Nichols, who has played a lot of nose tackle, get hurt, Simmons could have a shot.
But this is not really the year for an impactful rookie free agent for the Cardinals.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
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