It is mock draft season and projections for the Arizona Cardinals are all over the place. Will they go with an offensive lineman with the eighth overall pick? Will they draft a receiver? Will they upgrade a position on defense?
In Doug Farrar’s latest mock draft for sister site Touchdown Wire, the Cardinals pass on a receiver and defensive player to pick up an offensive lineman.
He has them selecting Alabama tackle Jedrick Wills.
Kyler Murray already is stumping for the Cardinals to bring receiver CeeDee Lamb, his former Oklahoma teammate, to the Valley of the Sun. And it makes sense for a couple of reasons: Lamb is an outstanding playmaker, and it makes sense to keep your quarterback happy with targets he trusts. But methinks Murray, who absorbed a league-leading 48 sacks in his rookie campaign, will also be pleased if he isn’t forced to run for his life all the time. Re-signing left tackle D.J. Humphries was a step in the right direction, and putting Wills on the right side would cement Arizona’s tackle tandem as more than solid. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Wills brings a nasty disposition to his run-blocking, and he’s technically proficient enough to help in a right-handed offense where the quarterback constantly expands the pocket.
Wills would be able to immediately compete for a starting job at right tackle. The tackle combination of him and Humphries would be great for the running game, sealing off both edges and letting whichever running back be able to run in the open field.
It would mean passing on a player like receiver CeeDee Lamb, but the receiver class is deep enough that the Cardinals could land an impact player at the position in the second round if that is a priority.
Likewise, it would be passing on Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown.
[vertical-gallery id=432598]
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 258
[protected-iframe id=”49d17d02e4b4056aec890dec09602b51-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/22949040/download.mp3″ ]
Ep. 257
[protected-iframe id=”74c89baf5df8861f45d142d0fbf6fc3c-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/22400501/download.mp3″ ]