Offensive Players Cardinals Should Target at NFL Combine
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL Scouting Combine is upon us and the Arizona Cardinals will have a ton of work to do on both sides of the football as the team has 13 draft picks for the 2024 NFL Draft.
That's obviously a great opportunity to make both sides of the football significantly better.
The Combine will be critical for the Cardinals to assess who they want to spend their capital on both on day one and later.
To start things off, we will take a look at the offensive side of the football and highlight an obvious name and a sleeper name the team should be paying attention to, as well as some drills we'll be paying close attention to.
Let's kick things off with the quarterback position.
Quarterback
Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
The Cardinals should have no interest in spending significant draft capital on a quarterback. Kyler Murray remains a more than quality player for the team and as long as he's under contract and playing well, Arizona should be more interested in building the rest of the roster.
That said, the Cardinals need a better backup option than Clayton Tune. They could bring a guy in via free agency, but I like the prospect of using a day-three pick on someone like Rattler, who has had a ton of starting time in college.
The Senior Bowl MVP isn't someone who will blow you away as a runner, but he's absolutely capable of making unscripted plays. The Cardinals should be interested in his ability to push the ball down the field.
If something were to happen to Murray again, Rattler would be a great backup option and they could use a day-three pick to get him.
Sleeper: Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
One of my favorite quarterbacks over the last few years, Hartman's value is going to be outstanding considering he is being placed as a late-round or even undrafted player. If Arizona wants to spend as little draft capital as possible on the position, Hartman is the guy.
In Indianapolis, the need to see that he's at least as capable an athlete as Clayton Tune is to consider replacing Tune.
Running Back
Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
James Conner's presence makes the Cardinals' need for a running back not as great, but they need a successor in place. Allen has been the next in a line of great Wisconsin running back prospects who should be a mid-to-late day-two pick. With the ammunition the Cards have, that's easily justifiable.
Allen is known for his bruising style of running at 6'2 240lbs, so the question will be whether or not he has true breakaway speed. The 40-time will show his track speed, as will the three-cone drill. AZ needs to pay attention to his agility to make sure he can be a replacement for Mr. Do-It-All Conner.
Sleeper: Ray Davis, Kentucky
Davis was someone I slid into my most recent mock draft for Arizona, and if he tests well then he could end up being a great number-two option behind Conner this season. Like Allen, the Cards should be focused on his three-cone drill to see his agility and speed out of cuts.
Wide Receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
This is the most obvious guy to watch for the Cardinals, but it would be irresponsible to leave him off this list.
MHJ has elite production and tape which makes him arguably the best player in this draft class. What's next for Harrison Jr. is to prove he's an elite athlete to confirm the "generational" tag that he's been receiving.
The entire Combine should be the Cardinals' focus here, but even if he doesn't test out of the gym, he should remain the favorite for Arizona to take fourth overall.
Sleeper: Jacob Cowing, Arizona
Cowing was a reception machine for the Wildcats the last two seasons, so his hands aren't what we'll be paying attention to here. Rather, it's all about the three-cone to show his cutting ability and how he gets out of his breaks. We'll also be watching literally anything else that will test his agility.
Tight End
Cade Stover, Ohio State
Trey McBride broke out this past season, but the Cardinals could nonetheless add a guy behind him to give the team depth and upside.
Stover is another one of my favorite prospects in this class and had a great career with the Buckeyes. For his Combine performance, you'll be paying attention to how he runs the gauntlet, as well as the good old-fashioned bench press. One more to watch will be his long jump and vertical to show off his athleticism.
Sleeper: Erick All, Iowa
You typically know what you're getting with Iowa tight ends (George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, Sam LaPorta), so All already has some sleeper hype to him. Like Stover, the Cardinals will be paying attention to agility drills for the former Hawkeye.
Offensive Tackle
Joe Alt Jr., Notre Dame
If the Cardinals do not draft MHJ for one reason or another, then Alt Jr. should be their next top priority. Alt Jr. has a chance to solidify himself as the draft's top offensive tackle prospect with a great Combine performance. Naturally, the Cardinals should be paying close attention.
Like MHJ, just about every drill that Alt Jr. participates in (besides the 40-yard dash) will be critical for his complete evaluation. The tape speaks for itself, but a strong Combine will prove he is a great athlete to match.
Sleeper: LaDarius Henderson, Michigan
Henderson is a sleeper not just for the Combine but for the 2024 NFL Draft entirely. After playing offensive guard at Arizona State, Henderson transferred to Michigan and played offensive tackle and had success.
The ability to inside and outside bodes well for his chances to be selected higher than others, but proving his agility will be key here. If Henderson can show some good-to-great athleticism, he should be flying up the Cardinals draft board.
Interior Offensive Line
Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Powers-Johnson should be on the team's radar with their second pick in the first round. After passing on Tyler Linderbaum in a trade that sent their 2022 first-round pick to the Ravens for Marquise Brown, AZ will be hoping to amend their previous mistake.
For JPJ, the Cards will want to see his strength testing. In an NFC West division that features dominant interior linemen like Aaron Donald and Javon Hargrave, AZ needs someone who can stack up with them. Beyond strength testing, the Cards will be looking for agility drills to see his athleticism.
Sleeper: Christian Mahogany, Boston College
Mahogany is a sleeper in the draft period, but a good Combine performance will help his chances of being selected higher. The key will be to test out of his mind as an athlete. If, and that's a big if, he can do this, the Cardinals should have a heavy interest in adding him to heir interior offensive line.
