Ranking Cardinals Biggest Draft Needs

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort has quite the job in front of him as he prepares for a draft that could secure the long-term success of his team.

It is no secret that the Arizona Cardinals' roster in 2023 was devoid of NFL-level talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

It was also plagued with injuries at key positions that limited the potential success of that squad. QB Kyler Murray missed the entire first half of the season while recovering from an ACL tear in 2022 and the defensive line was a constant rotation with injuries affecting several members of that position group. LB Kyzir White proved to be a surprisingly effective defensive weapon, but a torn bicep sidelined him in Week 11.

GM Monti Ossenfort added several pieces to the defensive line in free agency that immediately raise the floor of that group. He also added CB Sean Murphy-Bunting who is another immediate upgrade in a position room that struggled in 2023.

What Ossenfort noticeably did not do in free agency, was go after superstar players demanding huge contracts. His team-building philosophy revolves heavily around the draft and it seems that the majority of his energy is now going into adding young players on cheap rookie deals that can provide the foundation for the future success of the Cardinals.

The Cardinals have several holes that must be filled, and this very talent-heavy draft class looks to be a great start in that process.

In order, I judge these to be the Cardinals biggest needs in the 2024 NFL Draft:

Need #1 - Wide Receiver

Nov 18, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18)

Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatc / USA

This offseason has seen both Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore leave for other teams. Brown and Moore accounted for 58% of wide receiver targets in 2023 and leave only Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and Zach Pascal returning.

Kyler Murray has shown in the past that having a connection with a true number one receiver can produce magical results. When Murray had a healthy DeAndre Hopkins on the field with him he posted a 98.4 passer rating, 7,658 yards, and 53 touchdowns in their 31 games together. In that period, Hopkins accounted for 2,443 yards and 17 touchdowns by himself.

This draft provides a unique opportunity for the Cardinals to snag an elite talent at wide receiver.

The depth at receiver in this year's draft class might be historic as any of the "Big Three" of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze could be considered the top receiver in any given year.
All three represent a big upgrade at the position for the Cardinals and would immediately step into the role of WR1.

Beyond these three, the depth of wide receiver class is truly astounding. Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU), Adonai Mitchell (Texas), and Roman Wilson (Michigan) all have the potential to be a No.1 receiver in the NFL.

For the new Cardinals offense to really hum, two things are truly essential: Murray remains healthy for an entire season and has a true No.1 receiver that he can consistently rely on.

Need #2 - EDGE

Oct 7, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Washington State Cougars running back Nakia Watson (25) is

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 Cardinals defense struggled in many facets of the game, but the pass rush was noticeably weak throughout the season.

The team's leading sack man was OLB Dennis Gardeck with six on the season. The team as a whole only posted 33 sacks in 17 games.

This inability to get to quarterback consistently showed up in the other levels of the defense, as quarterbacks had an easy time with the Cardinals posting an average 111.3 passer rating.

It is crucial that Ossenfort looks to add some beef to the EDGE group in the 2024 draft. Although it is not the strongest group in this draft class there are some notable players that the Cardinals can look at including Dallas Turner (Alabama), Jared Verse (Florida St.), and Chop Robinson (Penn State).

The problem Arizona faces here is that if they stick and pick at their current first round positions of #4 and #27, most draft projections have all three of these top EDGE defenders going before the Cardinals reach their second pick in the round.

Ossenfort has shown before that he is willing to be mobile in the draft and it is likely that we see some type of movement during the event, but it will interesting to see if he is willing to move back up into the late teens or early twenties to get a dynamic EDGE.

Another possibility is that medical concerns surrounding Laiatu Latu (UCLA) will see him drop in the rankings and potentially be availble at #27. If that happens and the Cardinals are confident that Latu's medical issues don't pose a long-term risk, they might come out of the first round with the EDGE that has the most pro potential of them all.

Latu was an absolute force at UCLA and would be an immediate, and huge, upgrade at the EDGE position for the Cardinals.

Need #3 - Cornerback

Nov 4, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry (1)

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

The third biggest need for the Cardinals is certainly debatable and could easily include OT, OG, or IDL, but in my opinion the teams needs to look for a cornerback of the future early in this draft.

The Cardinals' secondary was simply not good in 2023. They allowed the third most passing touchdowns in the league and the fourth most net yards gained by passing attempt.

There is promise in second-year player Garrett Williams, but he plays best in the slot and for the sake of his development and future success should be allowed to grow in that role.

That leaves a huge need for a cornerback that can manage an entire side of the field.
The addition of Murphy-Bunting in free agency was a good one, and he looks to be a more than serviceable CB2, but relying on him to be the No. 1 guy but is probably a pretty risky move considering his past play.

The top of this cornerback class shows amazing potential including players like Cooper DeJean (Iowa), Terrion Arnold (Alabama), Nate Wiggins (Clemson) and Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo) who has flown up the draft boards after showcasing some insane physical traits in the pre-draft process.
Any of those four players would look to be a plug-and-play CB1 for the Cardinals.

Beyond the top players just mentioned, Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama), T.J. Tampa (Iowa St.), and Kamari Lassiter (Georgia) are all potential options that could be snagged as late as pick 35.