Some mock drafts are presenting possible scenarios that could play out. Others try and predict what teams will actually do in the NFL draft. In the latest mock draft from Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield, he makes the picks he would do if he were the general manager of each team instead of predicting what he thinks the teams will do.
So what would he do if he were Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim?
With the eighth overall pick in the draft Schofield would select Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs.
The Arizona Cardinals made one of the splashiest moves this offseason, trading for DeAndre Hopkins. They add the talented wide receiver to an offense that looks to be trending in the right direction around second-year quarterback Kyler Murray.
But they do need to protect Murray, and while the Cardinals made some moves up front this offseason, such as signing left tackle D.J. Humphries to a contract extension and signing right tackle Marcus Gilbert, making sure they have the right mix of players up front to protect Murray is still a priority.
They can find a potential bookend tackle by drafting Tristan Wirfs. The powerful right tackle comes from a system at Iowa that is varied in both the running game and with its pass protection schemes. Wirfs has the size, power and lateral movement skills to protect Murray immediately. Some observers have stated that he would be a potential convert to guard, given his perceived lack of length, but turn on his film and watch his hands, feet and hips work in pass protection, and you’ll be convinced he is an NFL tackle.
Wirfs would be a hard pick to criticize. He has big upside at right tackle and, if he were moved to guard at any point, he could be great there, much like another former Iowa lineman in Brandon Scherff. It solidifies the position, as Justin Murray was just okay there in 2019 and it is hard to count on Marcus Gilbert when he has played 12 games in the last three seasons.
Of course, one might consider someone like Andrew Thomas out of Georgia as well. The Cardinals are already two deep at right tackle with Murray and Gilbert. Wirfs has played some left tackle in college, but few project him as an impact left tackle in the pros. Thomas could come in and start at right tackle potentially, but would also give the Cardinals a good second option at left tackle if D.J. Humphries were to run into injury issues again.
While there are plenty of Cardinals fans who would love to see an impact defensive player or a receiver like CeeDee Lamb to make the offense truly special, there will be few complaints if they land a tackle who can upgrade the line as a rookie.
Wirfs wouldn’t be a bad pick at all.
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Ep. 263
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Ep. 262
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