The Arizona Cardinals had five picks to fill team needs on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Once again, they fulfilled them.
The Arizona Cardinals had a good draft haul, starting things off with Paris Johnson Jr. on Day 1, before turning around and filling a few needs at edge, cornerback, and receiver. B.J. Ojulari will provide immediate help, and don’t count out Garrett Williams (cornerback), or Michael Wilson (receiver).
So did the Redbirds fare better on Day 3? Here is a rundown of each pick they made, and my take on them.
Arizona Cardinals strike again on Day 3
Fourth Round, Pick 20: Jon Gaines III, G/UCLA
This pick was a surprise. You’d think the Arizona Cardinals would go with a center here, but it’s clear that general manager Monti Ossenfort saw something he liked. One thing is for certain: The Cardinals are going to be deep at offensive line this season if Gaines sticks.
Fifth Round, Pick 5: Clayton Tune, QB/Houston
This could be a puzzling pick in the eyes of many fans. Why take a quarterback here when you already got four on the roster, right? I’m a huge believer in taking one in every draft, and if they develop well, trade them off. If they don’t, then you’re not at much of a loss in the fifth round. But if you check out Clayton Tune’s numbers, you won’t be disappointed in this pick.
Fifth Round, Pick 34: Owen Pappoe, LB/Auburn
Isaiah Simmons is a star backer and Zaven Collins was seeing reps at outside linebacker/edge in the looks we’ve gotten so far with minicamp. That foreshadowed an inside linebacker going to the desert at some point on Day 3. Owen Pappoe is a sure tackler when healthy, having snagged 91 stops, three tackles behind the line, and two sacks.
Sixth Round, Pick 3: Kei’Trel Clark, CB/Louisville
Kei’Trel Clark is intriguing, standing at a small 5’10, 165, yet he gives off a scrappy vibe. Four of his 51 stops went behind the line, and he even logged a sack. He had a pick six this past season, plus three picks two seasons ago in 2021. Overall, Clark was a good value pickup in the latter rounds.
Sixth Round, Pick 36: Dante Stills, DT/West Virginia
And finally, we got Dante Stills, who will help immediately at defensive tackle. The Arizona Cardinals needed to address the interior defensive line, and Stills showed off his potential, with 24.5 career sacks, 53.0 stops behind the line, and 137 total tackles.
(Statistics provided by Sports-Reference/CFB)