The Arizona Cardinals are in an interesting situation as we creep towards 2023. What should their main targets be in the 2023 NFL Draft? Kyler Murray tearing his ACL and likely not being ready until well into the 2023 season has put quite the wrench in things.
Couple that with the weird relationship he and the Cardinals have going on and the new General Manager and Head Coach in town, and it’s easy to see why the Cardinals’ draft plans could be all over the place.
Their most pressing needs are on truly every level of the defense and along the offensive line.
How should the Cardinals tackle the 2023 NFL Draft?
Arizona Cardinals Mock Draft: A little bit of everything
3rd overall: Will Anderson, Jr, EDGE, Alabama
Well, their best bet is to either take the best defensive prospect when their third overall pick comes or trade down for more capital. It might be hard to pass on the best defensive player in the NFL Draft in Will Anderson. The ability to get to the quarterback cannot be overstated.
34th overall: Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
Again, the Arizona Cardinals kind of have needs all over the place, so they might benefit from trying to get one prospect per “need” if you will. That might sound naive, but I think it could be a viable strategy.
66th overall: Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
They address their offensive line needs at the beginning of the third round, and while Mauch might not translate to a tackle at the next level, he still could turn into a quality offensive lineman to protect Kyler Murray.
96th overall: Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina
They hit their need with the cornerback position at the bottom of the third round in the 2023 NFL Draft. Jonathan Gannon had the privilege of coordinating a defense with Darius Slay and James Bradberry, so he gets himself another Darius at the CB position.