Skip to main content

Cardinals Snag Will Anderson in FanNation NFL Mock Draft

The pick was almost too easy to make.

The Arizona Cardinals are sure to trade down from their slot at No. 3 in the 2023 NFL Draft - it simply makes too much sense. 

The Cardinals are in the first stage of their rebuild and must nail their upcoming draft in order to offset losses of Zach Allen, Byron Murphy and J.J. Watt among others. 

Rebuilds take time, and though success won't be seen right away, the pressure is on a new front office led by general manager Monti Ossenfort to ensure the Cardinals acquire young building blocks before draft weekend is over. 

Trading down makes sense and is the most likely scenario - but what if Arizona stayed put? 

Yours truly represented the Cardinals in FanNation's Publisher Mock Draft, and with no choice but to pick at No. 3, the obvious route was taken. 

Cardinals Snag Will Anderson in FanNation NFL Mock Draft

Will Anderson

After C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young go off the board in the first two picks, I couldn't sprint fast enough to the podium to make this pick. 

3. Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama

Analysis: "Make no mistake, the Cardinals are trading out of this pick. Yet for the sake of this mock draft, we’ll make perhaps the easiest selection of the draft with Anderson arriving to a Cardinals team without J.J. Watt and Zach Allen, who accounted for exactly half of their 36 sacks from last year. The Cardinals need help everywhere, but especially in the front seven. Anderson could be the cornerstone defensive player to help turn the tide in Arizona." — Donnie Druin, All Cardinals

Anthony Richardson went to Indianapolis at No. 4 and Seattle swooped Jalen Carter to complete the top five. 

Arizona Cardinals Top Stories

Cardinals Hosting Top NFL Draft WR Prospect

Kliff Kingsbury Joins USC Staff

Five Season-Defining Plays From 2022

Which Teams Are Calling Cardinals for No. 3 Pick?

Cardinals Named One of Worst Drafting Teams in NFL

Steve Keim Says Haason Reddick Wasn't Used Properly

Aaron Rodgers Possibly Heading to NFC West

Kyler Murray Shows Off Strength During ACL Rehab

Three-Round Mock Draft: Cardinals Trade Down With Titans