2011 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 2, Pick 38

Our annual 2011 NFL Mock Draft, with picks made by each of SB Nation’s NFL team bloggers, is in full swing. The latest pick in to the podium: the Arizona Cardinals, at No. 38 overall.

Jess Root of RevengeOfTheBirds.com explains the choice, and our own Dan Kadar reacts to it, after the jump. Make sure you’re grading this pick for the Cardinals, and checking out Revenge of the Birds for all of your Cardinals needs.

Jess Root explains: After selecting Cam Newton in the first round to address their quarterback need, the Cardinals seek to improve their linebacker corps. Ideally they could grab a potentially elite pass rusher, but these players have mostly already been taken. Brooks Reed would have been nice, but he is long gone. Instead, they go with a player with versatility to play inside or outside linebacker.

Wilson played inside at Illinois, but is projected to perhaps be an even better 3-4 OLB. He has been compared to former Cardinal Karlos Dansby. He is incredibly fast, posting great measurables, showing athleticism that rivals Von Miller and Dontay Moch (who is considered quite raw). The Cardinals need help on the outside in their pass rush, but also miss a presence inside. Adding him to a corps of Daryl Washington and O’Brien Schofield would give Arizona perhaps the fastest group of linebackers in the league. The great thing about Wilson’s versatility is that wherever he is able to show greater potential (inside or out), he will be able to fill a great need.

Dan Kadar reacts: There’s not a lot to dislike with this pick. Wilson fills an obvious need and somewhere around here is his proper draft value. At this point in the draft process he’s flying under the radar some, but he has a chance to be a very good player. At Illinois, I think he only showed a glimpse of how good he can be. [Martez Wilson Scouting Report]