Draft analyst compares Michael Floyd to David Boston

After logging long hours traveling around the country, meeting with prospects, and studying a seemingly endless amount film, the Arizona Cardinals coaches and scouts can breath easier with the 2012 draft now in the rearview mirror.

In the end, head coach Ken Whisenhunt and General Manager Rod Graves appear pleased with their seven new players which include two cornerbacks, two tackles, a wide receiver, quarterback, and a guard.

The headliner of the group is 6’3, 225-pound former Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd who the Red Birds selected with the 13th overall pick on Thursday. The hope is Floyd will take pressure off Larry Fitzgerald on the other side, while becoming a red-zone target.

“The big question on Michael Floyd is he reminded me of David Boston,” former Cardinal safety, now draftnasty.com owner Corey Chavous told Brad Cesmat Monday on ‘Big Guy on Sports.’ “Strong in the upper body, put top-heavy with thin ankles. The injury concerns…just being able to stay healthy. That’s what he has to prove to me. That’s been the problem during his career.”

The Cards didn’t have a second-round pick after shipping it to Philadelphia last off-season as part of the Kevin Kolb deal, but were able to snag former Oklahoma ball-hawking cornerback Jamell Fleming in the third round.

“He makes those dirty plays, five interceptions,” Chavous explained to Cesmat. “Fleming’s a player who makes big plays at the right moments and he’s somebody that has some upside.”

Arizona dipped into the small schools to draft another cornerback, Justin Bethel from tiny Division-III Presbyterian with the first of their two six-round picks. Chavous believes Bethel could be a steal by the time his career is over.

“What’s not to like? 196 solo tackles. Very physical football player, very strong build. He’s a guy that could give [the Cards] some special teams value. I thought that was a very good pick by the Cardinals.”