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2012 NFL Mock Draft: The Arizona Cardinals Select Stanford OT Jonathan Martin

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As we approach the NFL Draft in April, NFL teams continue to prepare for that day when they will select players out of college to improve their teams. The Arizona Cardinals have several needs, and perhaps the most pressing one is that of improving the offensive line. In particular, they could use better offensive tackles.

In SB Nation's latest mock draft projections are out and in this edition, Arizona addresses their biggest need with a big player. They are projected to select offensive tackle Jonathan Martin out of Stanford with the 13th pick overall.

The Cardinals mortgaged a chuck on their future for Kevin Kolb. They might have gotten fleeced, but sticking him behind a mound of wet paper towels for protection didn't help. Reports indicate that they plan to let Levi Brown walk. Martin would fill that void ... and then some.

Martin is certainly no stranger to protecting a franchise quarterback. He did protect Andrew Luck in college.

If Arizona goes this route, fans will be very pleased. Improved offensive line play has been something that Cardinals have been asking for almost every season since the team came to Arizona.

Could Martin be the answer? Hopefully. With Leonard Davis and Levi Brown being the Cardinals' track record of offensive linemen in the first round, fans will be pleased but will proceed with caution.

You can talk more Cardinals over at Revenge of the Birds.

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