Five Offensive Players for Cardinals to Monitor at Senior Bowl

The Arizona Cardinals will draft far beyond the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. With the Senior Bowl underway, here's five offensive players the team should familiarize themselves with in Mobile.

Author:
Andrew Harbaugh
Updated:
Jan 31, 2023 12:44 PM EST
Original:
Jan 31, 2023

In this story:

Arizona Cardinals

The offseason for 30 teams in the NFL has started. With just two teams remaining, that means it's Pro Bowl week - but more importantly - Senior Bowl week.

Players and teams have started rolling into Mobile, AL for what is the kickstart to the most important three-month stretch for teams looking to rebuild in the NFL Draft. The Arizona Cardinals won’t have the advantage of coaching, but they will have the advantage of having an established scouting department to evaluate players.

On offense, nearly every position is in play for the Cardinals outside of quarterback. Half of the 30 looming free agents are on offense and while they aren’t going to fill all those spots with Senior Bowl talent, some will be available for their choosing in late April.

In a week’s worth of Twitter clips and rumors, here are five names to monitor as the week unfolds.

Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State

Dawand Jones just broke the Senior Bowl measurement golden standard. He had his arms measured from finger tip to finger tip and he had a reach of 89 ½”, that measurement is usually for people who stand 7’5” so to say Jones is a gifted athlete is understating it. His movement is solid for his size and would be a great tackle along the Cardinals' offensive line. Look for some fun practice reps from him this week.

Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas

James Conner just resigned from the team but we are not sure how long he can be the guy for the Cardinals' rushing attack. They like Keaontay Ingram but Roschon Johnson is a perfect blend of both. His good size and diverse skillset make you notice him but once you realize how much tread he has left on the tires after backing up Bijan Robinson he becomes even more attractive as a rotational piece.

John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

The top-ranked interior linemen for many, myself included, should have a field day at the Senior Bowl. After a decorated career at Minnesota, he now is set to make an impact in the NFL and it all starts this week in Mobile. If he were to end up a Cardinal we are looking at the type of impact Landon Dickerson had on the Eagles or Creed Humphrey on the Chiefs. He may be a center but when you see a growing focus on interior defensive line pressure, they can be lifesavers.

Darnell Wright, OL, Tennessee

If you are a baseball fan you love it when your team has a utility man, someone who can play multiple positions, Darnell Wright is that for the Cardinals if drafted by them. He played tackle during his career at Tennessee but his size may be a better fit for a move inside to guard. He should be available on day two, maybe even day three if lucky, and he would be a plug-and-play starter at either tackle or guard position on this Cardinals roster as it stands today.

Nate Dell, WR, Houston

AJ Green and Greg Dortch are free agents, Christian Kirk was missed in this offense when needing to stretch the field, and wide receiver is a need for this team. Nate Dell would fill that role that either Kirk or Dortch could be leaving behind in Arizona and also serve as a nice compliment to DeAndre Hopkins if he is kept around. One-on-one drills for Dell this week should be must-see TV so be sure to search his name on Twitter so you don’t miss out, you will be wanting him on the Cardinals once you see him.