The Arizona Cardinals could land a prospect in the second round of this coming April’s draft who could have an immediate impact.
A lot of attention is being heaped upon the first-round selection that the Arizona Cardinals will be making use of in 2023. After all, Monti Ossenfort has been handed an incredibly-attractive position (third-overall) in his very first draft as the general manager of the Redbirds.
While owning such an enviable spot on the draft’s opening night is certainly exciting, the Cards’ second-round choice could ultimately pay huge dividends as well. With the scouting background that precedes both Ossenfort and assistant GM David Sears, there’s a very good chance that Arizona’s new duo could turn the 34th-overall selection into something extremely special.
If the Cardinals stay where they are in Round 1, either Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia’s Jalen Carter should be the preference. When Ossenfort and Sears get to choose again 31 picks later, several more intriguing prospects should still be on the board.
Arizona Cardinals should have interesting players to choose from in Round 2
Now that the Rodney Hudson era in the desert is coming to an end, the Cards are going to need a starting center. The University of Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz would be an excellent addition for the club in Round 2. The 6 foot 4, 320 pounder was a First Team All-American in 2022, and could make an outstanding anchor of the Arizona offensive line for many years to come.
James Conner could enjoy at least one more campaign as the focal point of the Cardinals rushing attack, but a change-of-pace option for the 27-year-old couldn’t hurt. Texas A&M University ball-carrier Devon Achane, a First Team All-SEC selection last fall, could be the man for the job.
In 10 starts for the Aggies, the 5 foot 9, 185 pounder rumbled for 1,102 yards on the ground. And his 12 total touchdowns included a 95-yard kickoff return for a score against Appalachian State last September.
If Carter ends up being the Cards’ choice in Round 1, an edge-rusher will still be high up on the team’s priority list. University of Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey, a Consensus All-American last season, would be a solid alternative to Anderson Jr. Over the past two campaigns, the 6 foot 4, 257 pounder was credited with 96 tackles (23 for a loss) and 20.5 sacks for the Fighting Irish defensive unit.
What Arizona does with the third-overall pick will be of vital importance to the future success of the organization. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Ossenfort and Sears will be expected to hit home runs with the rest of their selections as well. In many ways, the number #34-overall choice will be just as significant as the prospect the Cardinals land just 31 slots before.
(Statistics provided by College Football Reference)
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