Arizona Cardinals could have their eye on a fast-rising EDGE rusher in the 2024 Draft
By Sion Fawkes
There are several draft prospects currently projected to land somewhere between the late-second and middle rounds that are worth it for the Arizona Cardinals to keep tabs on. One player is Chris Braswell, an EDGE rusher from the University of Alabama who has made a tremendous jump this year.
Coming into the 2023 season, Braswell snagged just 33 total tackles, five behind the line, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. However, 2023 has been a different story, as the 6’3, 255 pound senior has been a one-man wrecking crew.
Through eight games, he has 32 total tackles, 9.0 for loss, 6.5 sacks, a pick-six, and two forced fumbles. He’s a late bloomer, but so far, his performance has increased his draft stock by 30 points, per DraftTek’s rankings.
Arizona Cardinals must keep their eye on Chris Braswell
DraftTek currently has Braswell ranked 49th, and NFL Draft Buzz has a late-second-round grade on the senior EDGE rusher. However, considering his fast rise and breakout 2023 campaign so far, don’t be surprised if Braswell ends up in first round territory. And perhaps he will move even further up the boards when the NFL Combine and the University of Alabama’s Pro Day roll around.
Braswell won’t be the only player with a mid-tier ranking who may rapidly move up the draft boards. But with EDGE potentially serving as a position of need for the 2024 Arizona Cardinals, he’s worth a look as he continues his ascent.
If Braswell’s stock doesn’t rise into the first round, general manager Monti Ossenfort has a selection early in the second that he can use for the fast-rising prospect. Keep an eye on Braswell as the 2023 college season winds down, and also during the pre-draft process in March and April 2024. He might just become a name you’ll need to get familiar with should the Cards show signs of adding a potentially elite talent at EDGE.
feed
(Statistics provided by College-Football-Reference)