GLENDALE –Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon held a pre-draft press conference at the team’s Tempe training facility on Wednesday. The duo dived into the hours of work that go into the draft process to ensure that all avenues are covered for next week’s NFL draft.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Ossenfort was realistic about the possibility of not hitting every one of Arizona’s six picks this 2025 draft cycle but understands that the process is an “imperfect science.” The third-year Cardinals general manager noted that the team’s draft board is 95 percent finished, but with the unpredictability of draft day, Ossenfort is on his toes.
Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Cardinals Ossenfort on preparation for NFL draft:
“The process that we do … it’s the same every year. Whether we’re picking 3 or 4 like we have the past two years to picking 16 this year. We have to be ready. We never know what’s going to happen draft night. You can sit there and say, ‘Oh, this guy isn’t going to be there’ or ‘Hey, yeah, we think this guy is definitely going to be there’ and we don’t know. The only way to be ready for those situations is to do the work.
“That’s where [Gannon] and his staff come into play and we combine that information that we gather firsthand, that our scouts gather firsthand, that our coaches gather firsthand and at the end we’re trying to make a good decision.”
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort during an NFL pre-draft news conference at the Cardinals Dignity Health Training Center in Tempe on April 18, 2024. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Trust is imperative between Ossenfort and his staff throughout the process. Hundreds of prospects enter the draft every year, which is why the dozens of Cardinals scouts and coaches do hundreds of hours of film studies to ensure the franchise is making the best selection on April 24th.
Most of Arizona’s scouts have visited with prospects in the front seven, defensive linemen and edge rushers. Ossenfort claimed honing on the pass rush wasn’t on purpose, and they’re looking into all positions, including a recent meeting with Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. in the practice facility.
Monti Ossenfort, general manager of the Arizona Cardinals, attends the team’s training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 29, 2023. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Cardinals’ stellar offseason has made their selection in the first round at 16th an interesting dilemma for Ossenfort. The lack of urgency for the franchise to draft for position has made the possibility of trading back an option. There are hundreds of directions Ossenfort can go in just over a week away, and it appears the pressure isn’t getting to him.
Arizona Cardinals Max Melton proves doubters wrong after rookie accusations
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
