The Arizona Cardinals appeared to fill some serious needs in Vince Tobin's second draft class since becoming head coach a year ago, but this isn't a group that's going to thrill anyone.

The club drafted strictly for need in the first round. They took cornerback Tom Knight from Iowa with the ninth overall pick simply because they had no one else to line up opposite of Aeneas Williams. Tobin made this clear in draft meetings and this was strictly his call.

The Cardinals were thrilled to get Knight although some people have questions about his coverage skills.

The team made one of its most intriguing picks in years in selecting quarterback Jake Plummer of Arizona State in the second round. Plummer is an exciting player, having led ASU to the Rose Bowl last season, and fans are thrilled the Cardinals drafted him. But there will be pressure on Tobin to play him early, especially if Kent Graham, the starter, and the rest of he offense struggles.

Tobin also was concerned about whether Plummer could handle the pressure. He had lunch with the Boise, Idaho, native last week, and his fears were put to rest. Plummer is fearless but he is also at least a year away from playing.

The club traded down in the third round, hoping that it could pick up an offensive lineman such as Washington guard Bob Sapp, Washington State tackle Scott Sanderson or Oregon tackle Paul Wiggins. All were gone, however, so they took cornerback Ty Howard from Ohio State, who might contend with Knight for a starting spot.

The team's best value might have come in the fourth round, when they took Nebraska offensive lineman Chris Dishman, a 328-pounder who gives the team some bulk inside.

The team also thinks it got a steal in the seventh round when they took defensive end Mark Smith from Auburn. Smith struggled last season when coming back from a knee injury, which scared some teams off. The Cardinals think Smith would have been taken in the first three rounds, if not for his knee.

ROUND-BY-ROUND ANALYSIS

Round 1/9 -- Tom Knight, CB, Iowa

They would have loved to take Shawn Springs or Bryant Westbrook but didn't think it was worth the price of moving up. The Cardinals think Knight solves their right cornerback position, a trouble spot for several years. This pick fills a need if Knight is the player they think he is, but that is no sure thing.

Round 2/42 -- Jake Plummer, QB, Arizona State

He'll help sell tickets but the Cardinals drafted him for other reasons. They are looking to the future, something which they rarely have done on draft day. They tried to trade up for Plummer to no avail and feel fortunate he was available. A great pick.

Round 3/84 -- Ty Howard, CB, Ohio State

He played opposite Shawn Springs and was tested often. The Cardinals think he is a steal even though he is a little short. They think he will contend with Knight for a starting job. A decent pick but an offensive lineman taken here might have been better.

Round 4/106 -- Chris Dishman, OG, Nebraska

Another solid pick. He gives the Cardinals the size they were missing last season when just one offensive lineman, center Mike Devlin, who weighed at least 300 pounds. He will contend for a starting job at either guard spot or right tackle.

Round 5/139 -- Chad Carpenter, WR, Washington State

A good athlete who should help on special teams but he's not the burner the team needed. They have decent possession receivers but needed someone to stretch defenses and Carpenter isn't that guy. He was an all-state quarterback in Idaho one year before Plummer won the same honor.

Round 6/175 -- Rod Brown, FB, North Carolina State

He's a big bruising blocker, which the team hasn't had for years. The Cardinals were horrible in short-yardage situations and Brown should help with both his blocking and running ability. A solid pick that fills a need.

Round 6/188 -- Tony McCombs, OLB, Eastern Kentucky

The Cardinals think he is a great athlete. He played collegiately for Roy Kidd, whose son, Keith, is the head of the Cardinals' pro scouting department. With Seth Joyner winding his career down, the club needed to add some youth. McCombs runs well enough to help on special teams. Not a great selection but decent.

Round 7/212 -- Mark Smith, DE, Auburn

This is the team's steal of the draft, according to coaches. Smith can rush the passer but suffered from a knee injury over a year ago and didn't play much last season. He's just a pup but the Cardinals think he will develop into a productive player. He was worth the risk in the seventh. He could play behind Michael Bankston at end for a year then move into the starting lineup.