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'Freakishly Athletic' CB Named Ideal Fit for Cardinals in NFL Draft

Could Michigan CB DJ Turner be a fit for the Arizona Cardinals on Day 2? PFF believes so.

The Arizona Cardinals are still mulling over their options for the 2023 NFL Draft. 

By now, it feels like everyone and their mother expects the Cardinals to move down the draft order to recoup some major draft picks that will hopefully start their rebuild. 

The No. 3 overall pick if often talked about, and rightfully so considering the weight it carries and the potential it has in Arizona, regardless of the final outcome. 

However, the Cardinals will have six other rounds to work with, which includes the No. 34 pick at the top of the second round. 

Arizona looks to address needs such as EDGE, CB and WR in the early portion of the draft. While Arizona's first-round pick will surely set the tempo for the rest of the draft class, Pro Football Focus has the perfect fit for the Cardinals in the second round: Michigan cornerback DJ Turner.

'Freakishly Athletic' CB Named Ideal Fit for Cardinals on Day 2 of NFL Draft

DJ Turner

"Turner would give the Cardinals one freakishly athletic cornerback duo. The Michigan product ran a 4.26-second 40-yard dash with a 38.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-11 broad jump at the combine. He also allowed only 45.4% of his targets to be completed in his college career. He could replace Byron Murphy Jr.’s role in the defense," said PFF. 

Turner - as PFF already alluded to - tested tremendously at the combine and his play for Michigan backed it up. His 14 forced incompletions tied him for 23rd out of all cornerbacks in 2022. 

He mostly aligned as a boundary corner but did log snaps as a slot and box player as well. 

In his recent mock draft, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper had Turner going No. 25 to the New York Giants. Kiper said that Turner was a hot name and was gaining some first-round steam. 

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