Cardinals selected Rutgers CB Max Melton with the No. 43 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Melton (5’110/187) is a three-time, fourth-team All-Big Ten DB that started 40-of-43 career games with the Scarlet Knights. Melton’s 4.39s 40-yard dash speed allows him to give a large cushion pre-snap in order to bait the quarterback, who sometimes underestimates his cheetah-like closing speed. A certified box checker, he can play both man and zone coverage extremely well when called upon, recording a QBR of 65.7 while allowing 24 completions on 44 targets this year. His elite ball skills are evident in the 16 pass break ups and five interceptions he draped on Big Ten opponents over the past two seasons. The four-year starter has impeccable timing that keeps him in phase even if he pursues a bad angle, as is shown in his superb 9.57 Relative Athletic Score. Melton could improve on his route recognition/backpedal, as he is occasionally susceptible to double moves. An elite special teams player who blocked multiple punts throughout his collegiate career, as well as fielding a few returns. Melton is a top-flight Big Ten corner who has the talent to fill a rotational slot/boundary role in the NFL.
