2017 NFL Mock Draft: Final Predictions For First Round

13. Arizona Cardinals: Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes

At some point, the Arizona Cardinals are going to have to plan for life without Carson Palmer since the veteran quarterback only seems to have two or three good years at best left in him. For a team with plenty of talent on both sides of the football, the last thing the Cardinals can afford to see happen is find themselves scrambling to figure out their quarterback situation a few years from now when Palmer calls it quits.

Using a first rounder on a quarterback when Arizona is already set with Palmer seems crazy, but when looking at the potential surrounding some of the player’s from this year’s class, it would almost seem too good for the Cardinals to choose from. Depending on what happens with some of the earlier picks from teams ahead of them in desperate need of help at quarterback, it’s safe to say Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes will be on Arizona’s radar Thursday night.

It’s tough to determine what to make of Mahomes when it comes to his potential in the NFL when looking at some of the areas in need of improvement, but it’s nothing the Cardinals can’t work with. With 99 combined touchdowns (22 on the ground) over the last two seasons, Arizona would be foolish to pass on Mahomes at this point in the draft, especially if the youngster would benefit from having the opportunity to learn from Palmer for a few years.