Cardinals Have Draft's 'Worst-Kept Secret'

There's about a million-and-a-half directions the Arizona Cardinals could go with their first-round pick this year with several needs across the roster and a draft class that covers the majority of them.

One of their needs is at wide receiver, and there's a handful who could/should be day one selections anywhere between the top-five and the backend of the first round.

The Cardinals have been surrounded with talks of adding to the position on day one, but how realistic is that possibility?

Apparently, it's not as far-fetched as you'd think.

ESPN's Ben Solak joined PFF's "The NFL Stock Exchange" podcast and talked about the looming draft. When it came to the Cardinals, Solak said there's a lot of smoke in regards to Arizona wanting to address the position. He mentioned the second round himself, but he also brought up Matthew Golden consistently mocked to the team on day one.

Solak also added that Arizona desire to add a wide receiver was a "worst kept secret."

All of this adds up with oddly specific details... It also stands out this is a continued trend by draft analysts who are far more dialed in to actual rumblings from the league.

Perhaps there could be a fire to all this smoke?

It wouldn't be the biggest surprise in the world, but there would be no shortage of critics looking at the decision. I would be among that group.

However, a player like Golden can help open up the deep parts of the field that the Cardinals were unable to attack last season. He has great after-the-catch skills that could really open up the offense, which struggled down the stretch of last season.

It would mark consecutive drafts of spending a round one selection on a wide receiver, however. Receiver is certainly a big need for the team, but is it big enough to warrant consecutive day one investments?

Of course, Golden wouldn't be the only receiver to look at. Tetairoa McMillan's stock is fluctuating between top-ten and barely inside the top-20. He's certainly a player the Cardinals would be intrigued to keep in-state.

There's also the fascination of selecting another Ohio State receiver in Emeka Egbuka and reunite him with Marvin Harrison Jr.

Missouri's Luther Burden is a RAC machine who can create yards at any level of the field.

Any of those four guys, among others, make sense to be picked inside the top-32 of this year's draft. All four of them could also become stars at the next level with varying skill sets for success. The Cardinals would love to have one of them, but the cost wouldn't come cheap.

There are larger needs on this roster from defense to the offensive line that should push receivers down the board in theory. But of course, sometimes you just have to take the best player available at your pick -- perhaps that's one of these receivers.

This will be a very intriguing storyline to follow for the remainder of the week and could keep Cardinals' fans on the edge of their seat when the 16th overall pick rolls around.