Arizona Cardinals may prefer all-around game of Tyree Wilson

The Arizona Cardinals would be acquiring a talented pass-rusher who was also effective against the run at Texas Tech University.

There's no denying the fact that the Arizona Cardinals need to add a top-notch edge-rusher to coordinator Nick Rallis' defense. Outstanding contributors from the not-so-distant past like Chandler Jones and Markus Golden are no longer around. Young pass rushers such as Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders are showing promise, but neither could be considered a sure thing at the present time.

Will Anderson Jr., a stud outside linebacker out of the University of Alabama, certainly looks like the real deal. If acquiring an individual who can terrorize quarterbacks is what the Cards are seeking, then the 21-year-old Anderson Jr. is their guy. There are rumblings, however, that general manager Monti Ossenfort may prefer an alternative type of edge-rusher.

Tyree Wilson, a defensive end out of Texas Tech Uiversity, is also equipped to provide ample pressure from the edge for the Redbirds. In spite of his success in college, the former Red Raider (somewhere Kliff Kingsbury is smiling) ranks behind Anderson Jr. in just about every mock draft under the sun. While many draft experts seem to be buying into that opinion, Arizona's front office may not agree.

Tyree Wilson could be a perfect fit for the 4-3 defense that the Arizona Cardinals are installing

There are indications that Wilson is higher than Anderson Jr. on the Cardinals draft board. It appears that the coaching staff will roll primarily with a 4-3 alignment, so a pair of sizable defensive ends would make that system run smoother. At 6 foot 6, 270 pounds, Wilson appears to be more than qualified to hold the edge for Rallis' unit.

Anderson Jr. is a pure sack specialist who specializes in taking down signal-callers. At the same time, the 6 foot 4, 253 pounder is no better than average at defending the run. Wilson may not be the pass rusher that Anderson Jr. is, but he'll probably be more productive as a run-stuffer at the professional level.

There's a fairly good chance that the Cards could trade down in the first round and still land Wilson. Then again, Ossenfort and company could just stand pat and take last year's First-team All-American with the third-overall pick. Either way, it's looking more like Arizona will be adding Wilson to the roster next Thursday night.