Reiff Would Turn Arizona Cardinals’ Levi Brown Into Wrong Superhero

Published: 23^rd Apr 12 1:56 am

by Greg Archuleta
gregarchuleta

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Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

It’s confirmed; Levi Brown is a superhero. The 6-foot-6, 324-pound Arizona Cardinals left tackle has proven not once but twice that he can become invisible.

The first time happened during the first half of last year when opposing defensive ends blew by him as if he wasn’t there.

The second time is now as the Cardinals prepare for the NFL draft that takes place Thursday through Saturday.

The majority of NFL mock drafts indicate that Arizona’s biggest need still lies at tackle — specifically, left tackle – even though the Cardinals restructured Brown’s contract and have him signed for five years.

Suddenly the hot name in the Cardinals’ future has become Iowa’s Riley Reiff, who had been projected to go in the top 10 but now supposedly could be available at No. 13.

Reiff is considered a solid tackle that can start on the right side right away and eventually may be able to slide to left tackle.

It wouldn’t be a horrible pick, especially if Stanford guard David DeCastro is off the board. DeCastro is considered the second best lineman in the draft, and the Cardinals conceivably could move free-agent signee Adam Snyder from guard to right tackle.

In an interview with the Arizona Republic, coach Ken Whisenhunt said, “What we don’t want to do is draft a lineman just to draft a lineman because that’s what you think you have to do. I think you have to continue to try to trust your process and what you believe in, getting the right players at the right time, and it’s got to be the right kind of players.”

Whisenhunt added in the interview that he thought the draft was a good one for linemen. The Cardinals, who don’t have a second-round pick, still might be able to find a lineman to suit their needs.

That puts several defensive players in play, including North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples, Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus, South Carolina outside linebacker Melvin Ingram and Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw.

Don’t forget about wide receivers Justin Blackmon from Oklahoma State and Michael Floyd from Notre Dame, although it would seem one or both likely will be gone before the Arizona’s turn at the party.

DeCastro still is the best of all worlds.

The Cardinals still will upgrade their line and protect Kevin Kolb, who has his own worries about living up to being the team’s starting quarterback in 2012, rather than that other guy who won a Super Bowl in Indianapolis, is a certain future Hall of Famer and who chose the Denver Broncos instead.

The top need is on the offensive line, and Brown might not be too keen if he thinks the Cardinals are drafting his replacement with Reiff.

The Cardinals don’t want Brown disappearing a third time.

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