2014 NFL mock draft: Cardinals select Ryan Shazier

With the 20th pick in Pride Of Detroit's 2014 NFL mock draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier. Reno09 is serving as the Cardinals' general manager, and his reasoning for the pick is below.

This was a tough decision to make. In a perfect world, one of the top three OTs would fall in the Cardinals' lap, or they would trade up for one in hopes of attempting to fix their awful offensive line. My next option was to either address some holes in the secondary or at the linebacker position. Since the top two safeties were gone and a rookie corner would see limited time on the field, I felt like the best option was to address the need for an inside linebacker or a pass-rushing outside linebacker. Luckily enough for Arizona, Ryan Shazier is a versatile player and can serve as an option at both linebacker positions.

Last year, Shazier led the Big Ten in tackles for a loss (23.5) and was second in the NCAA behind only Aaron Donald. He's an extremely athletic prospect and was said to have run an unofficial 4.36 40 at his pro day. He will provide an immediate impact and can step into Karlos Dansby's old role as an ILB or use his speed as an edge rusher. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles receives another toy to play with on an already terrifying defense.

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Check out the 2014 POD Community Mock Draft tracker for a look at all of the picks.