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BREAKING: Cardinals Trade Up, Pick Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr. No. 6 Overall

Johnson's ability to develop quickly and lead his teammates in and out of the locker room will make him a valuable addition to the Cardinals' offensive line this season.

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

SI Draft Bible says "An elite high school tackle recruit whose college experience entering the 2022 season has primarily come at guard, Paris Johnson Jr. has all the athletic tools to excel in his first season at tackle for the Buckeyes. Though he must work through certain technical issues, his rapid rate of refinement and improvement through the 2021 year indicates he has a high ceiling at tackle."

Johnson Jr. spent three years with the Buckeyes and was both a consensus All-American and a member of the Big Ten All-Conference first team last season. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was runner-up for the Rotary Lombardi Award last fall, given to the most outstanding offensive or defensive lineman in the country.

Ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, Johnson Jr. was also the second-best offensive tackle according to ESPN.

The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Johnson Jr. was a five-star prospect coming out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and enters the NFL with college playoff experience with the Buckeyes against Alabama back in the 2019 National Championship game.

"In an underwhelming tackle class, the Buckeyes’ star has a chance to develop into a stellar prospect thanks to his ability to improve weekly and his impressive athleticism," the SI Draft Bible says. "Paris Johnson Jr. projects as an immediate low-level starter at guard or tackle with elite upside."

Prior to entering the draft, Johnson graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in journalism.

Now, he heads to Arizona. hoping to make a major impact for quarterback Kyler Murray.


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