The Arizona Cardinals feel good about their rookie class of 12 draft picks. They feel they have players who can both contribute now and potentially be long-term contributors.
But every prospect comes with some risk. Some have a greater potential for greatness and some players are labeled as boom-or-bust.
Draft Wire managing editor Jeff Risdon recently wrote about five high-variance draft picks who could be great or could be absolute busts, based on some of their college inconsistencies.
Cornerback Max Melton, drafted by the Cardinals in the second round, is one of those players.
Melton ran the gamut of hot and cold in one game last fall. In Rutgers’ trip to Michigan, a game I saw in person, he was often the best Scarlet Knights defender on the field. He mirrored routes well, showing fluid feet, aggressively disciplined run defense and good instincts for like 80 percent of the game. I had little doubt I was watching a first-round talent…
…except for the other 20 percent. For whatever reason, or perhaps no reason at all, Melton’s confidence and technique just vanished in the raucous Big House. He overestimated his own speed on one trail coverage assignment and got beaten for a key (at the time) first down. A lackadaisical tackle attempt here, a poor job of fighting off a block there, a miscue in guessing wrong on another route; there were some plays in this game where Melton nullified all my positive notes.
There was some inconsistent play across other games on Melton’s résumé, too. The 2023 opener against Boston College was rough, but Melton’s coverage performance at Ohio State was very impressive. Even at Senior Bowl practices, Melton fluctuated in his performances.
Melton has a strong chance of earning a starting outside CB role right away in Arizona. I suspect the Cardinals will have to live with some rough patches and not get too dissuaded from the stretches where their second-round rookie looks outstanding.
Melton has a shot at being a starter as a rookie. They have had rookies start before. Four different rookies started at cornerback last season. They dealt with Byron Murphy’s growing pains in 2019. They played Marco Wilson in his rookie season.
Arizona obviously hopes Melton is more boom than bust. But with several cornerbacks in the room he must compete with to get on the field, hopefully his play in the NFL has less variance than in college.
