Cardinals Upgrade Defense in Three-Round Mock Draft
The Arizona Cardinals are busy clearing cap space in the days leading up to free agency, though the 2023 NFL Draft is heavy on their minds in terms of what the team will do within the next few weeks.
Plenty of debate has surrounded what the Cardinals will do with the third overall pick. If Arizona doesn't trade down, three top options are thought to have separated themselves in Georgia DL Jalen Carter, Alabama EDGE Will Anderson and Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson.
At the NFL Combine, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said the team was doing work on all three:
"Probably not gonna get in too many specifics. Those are three players that I have studied and will continue to study. [I'm] anxious to meet with them and do more work with them this week. Those are three talented players and they all bring different skill sets and they've had good college careers. We're excited to dive more into them and then see exactly how they would fit for our team moving forward."
Ahead of free agency, this three-round mock draft done on Pro Football Focus' mock draft simulator lands some serious talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Round 1, Pick 3: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
There was some serious consideration to trade down here, but the thought of passing up Will Anderson was too large to ignore. Here, the Cardinals get one of the top defensive players to come through the ranks of the draft in recent memory while filling a huge need to get after the passer.
Round 2, Pick 34: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt
Will Calijah Kancey be here in the second round? Most likely not. But if Kancey is somehow - SOMEHOW - available here at No. 34, there has to be an immediate sprint to the podium.
While he doesn't have the hype train Jalen Carter does, Kancey tested phenomenally at the NFL Combine and is indeed one of the top defensive interior prospects. He lacks the ideal size to play in the interior but when you're netting comps to John Randle, you're playing out of your mind.
Anderson + Kancey (in my mind) is a better combo here than Carter + whatever edge prospect may be available here. In the first two rounds, the Cardinals sure up their front seven.
Round 3, Pick 66: Luke Wypler, OC, Ohio State
It feels like quality offensive linemen get pushed down the draft boards each year, and Luke Wypler could very well fit that profile this year. Though centers and guards don't often jump off the film compared to tackles, Wypler is as refined as a center as you'll find in this draft.
Rodney Hudson is retiring. The Cardinals are looking to inject a youth movement in the offensive line. This pick just makes sense.
Round 3, Pick 96: Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU
Sometimes cornerback is an overlooked position when evaluating what the Cardinals should do early in the draft. Should Arizona move down from No. 3, a top corner should be at their taking, a possibility even if Byron Murphy does return from free agency.
Yet here the Cardinals wait and land the talents of Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson. New Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon alluded to speed in traits he looks for in incoming corners, and Hodges-Tomlinson has that and then some along with athleticism to play in the slot if needed.
His size isn't ideal, but Hodges-Tomlinson can play man coverage nearly as good as anybody in this draft. His ceiling is far greater than a third-round pick.
Overall Thoughts
I entered this mock draft wanting to really improve the defensive side of the ball for Arizona, and I walk away feeling like this was accomplished. The Cardinals have quite the puzzle to solve, and though that can be better completed by trading down, I just couldn't pass on Anderson at the top of the board.
There's no right way to complete a draft class, but this would be a strong start to the 2023 NFL Draft. Perhaps if Kancey isn't there in RD2 I would have gone John Michael Schmitz or maybe even a WR given the status of DeAndre Hopkins.
We should get a clearer picture after free agency and Hopkins' situation has been resolved.
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