System fit should not influence Arizona Cardinals’ decision

Selecting a player with the draft’s top pick solely because he’s a fit for your system could spell doom for the Arizona Cardinals

In less than two weeks, the football world will finally be made aware of the Arizona Cardinals’ decision. What the club ultimately elects to do with the NFL Draft’s top selection could have a ripple effect on the rest of the league. Not to mention the impact that the choice could have on the Cardinals’ organization for years to come.

A countless number of “experts” think that it’s a done deal. According to that contingent, Arizona will be selecting Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the first pick. Apparently, there are many who think that the tiny prospect is the only one capable of running the squad’s brand-new offense.

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Because of that theory, the masses are convinced that the Cards should bypass higher-ranked players in favor of the overrated Murray. Doing that, however, would be a colossal mistake. Is it possible that the Cardinals’ brass is gullible enough to even consider making such a move?

There’s almost a universal belief that Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa is the most talented of anyone entering the NFL in 2019. Arizona’s message boards are filled with people who would love to see the stud lined up across from Chandler Jones at outside linebacker. Bosa has the size, strength, and intangibles to succeed, and is considered a can’t-miss prospect.

If Bosa isn’t your cup of tea, there’s also another defender who’s a much better candidate for the Cards than Murray. Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams would terrorize opposing offenses for years to come. It just so happens that the team has a glaring weakness at the position he plays as well.

It seems that the best argument for taking Murray lies in the fact that he would run Kliff Kingsbury’s plays without a hitch. But didn’t the new head coach recently say that current starter Josh Rosen could also operate his “Air Raid” system? And didn’t Cardinals’ general manager Steve Keim move up to the opening round’s 10th-overall slot to draft Rosen just 12 months ago?

Bringing someone to the desert solely because he’s a better fit for Kingsbury’s system is a disaster waiting to happen. What if the new coach fails and is sent packing next year? You’ve now traded away the talented Rosen, and are stuck with a passer like Murray who can only succeed in a specific scheme that’s most likely being abandoned.

Murray, even his backers would have to agree, is far from the best player in the 2019 draft. In fact, there are quite a few talent evaluators who feel that he’s not even the best quarterback of this year’s class. Does this sound like a guy who should go number-one overall on the night of April 25th?

There’s an old adage in pro football that recommends that the best available prospect, regardless of position, should be nabbed with each draft pick. That sentiment is magnified 100 times when you’re talking about the top selection in the first round. Arizona fans can only hope that Keim and company are smart enough to realize that.