The 2023 Arizona Cardinals draft includes the third overall pick. At this point, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that the downtrodden organization will move down from that selection with a quarterback-needy team.
New Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort are attempting to retool after Arizona won just four games a season ago. One player isn’t going to change the dynamics for a team that’s so far below the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West pecking order that hopes of immediate contention are unrealistic.
It’s in this that the Cardinals have a ton of needs heading into the annual NFL Draft later in April. Here’s a look at five players the team must target in the draft.
Related: Full 7-round Arizona Cardinals mock draft
Arizona Cardinals draft picks in 2023
- Round 1 – 3rd overall
- Round 2 – 34th overall
- Round 3 – 66th overall
- Round 3 – 96th overall
- Round 4 -105th overall
- Round 5 – 168th overall
- Round 6 – 180th overall
- Round 6 – 213th overall
Arizona Cardinals draft targets: First round
Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
Arizona racked up all of 36 sacks a season ago. J.J. Watt led the team with 12.5 and opted to retire after the 2022 campaign. Zach Allen was second with 5.5. He signed a lucrative long-term contract with the Denver Broncos in free agency. Needless to say, there is a major hole here.
If Arizona remains at three heading into draft day, Anderson is the obvious option. The 6-foot-3, 253-pound edge rusher could be implemented the same way new Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon used Haason Reddick with the Philadelphia Eagles. The dude was absolutely dominant over the course of his final two seasons with Alabama, recording a combined 48 tackles for loss and 27.5 sacks. He’s an immediate impact player and a potential Year 1 Pro Bowl performer. This is a no-brainer.
Paris Johnson Jr., offensive tackle, Ohio State
If the Cards opt to trade down, Johnson Jr. becomes an option. Arizona quarterbacks were sacked 46 times and found themselves pressured at the ninth-highest clip a season ago. That’s despite a mobile Kyler Murray seeing action in 11 games prior to going down with a torn ACL. We just don’t like the offensive line make up in Arizona right now. And in reality, the building process starts in the trenches.
At 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds, Johnson Jr. offers positional versatility. He can play right tackle before taking over on Murray’s blindside once Arizona opts to move off D.J. Humphries. The former Ohio State star also boasts the athletic traits that new Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing values in his blocking scheme dating back to the assistant’s days with the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns.
Related: Sportsnaut’s 2023 NFL mock draft
Arizona Cardinals draft targets: Second round
Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State
McDonald becomes a Day 2 option for the Arizona Cardinals should they trade out of the third pick. He might not be the same type of prospect as Anderson, but there is a lot to like here. Primarily, production at Iowa State.
Over the course of his final four seasons with the Cyclones, McDonald registered 39.5 tackles for loss, 33 sacks and a whopping nine forced fumbles. At 239 pounds, he’ll have to gain some wait to work as a three-down edge guy in the NFL. With that said, McDonald’s explosive ability coupled with pro-ready pass-rush moves makes him an ideal second-round option for the Cardinals.
Related: Arizona Cardinals draft includes some trade down options
Jahmyr Gibbs, running back, Alabama
How much longer can the rebuilding Cardinals rely on veteran James Conner to provide balance on offense? The two-time Pro Bowler has yet to put up a 1,000-yard rushing season since entering the league back in 2017. He’s finished with less than 800 rushing yards each of the past two years, averaging a combined four yards per attempt. That’s about as pedestrian as it gets.
Perhaps Arizona adds more draft capital by trading down from three. If so, a “luxury pick” such as Gibbs would make a ton of sense. He’s a Day 1 starter, produced at a high level in college (1,370 total yards, 10 touchdowns last season) and is considered the second-best running back in the class behind Bijan Robinson.
Arizona Cardinals draft targets: Third round
Emmanuel Forbes, cornerback, Mississippi State
Arizona’s pass defense yielded a 70% completion mark and 98.2 QB rating last season. It opted to re-sign Antonio Hamilton after losing Byron Murphy in free agency. It’s unrealistic to believe that Arizona’s cornerback group will be able to compete in the NFC West moving forward.
That’s where Forbes comes into play as a mid-round option. A three-year starter at Mississippi State, he recorded a whopping 14 interceptions to go with six defensive touchdowns. There is some concern about his inability against athletic receivers. But you don’t perform at that level against elite SEC competition without it being able to translate to the NFL.
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