Arizona Cardinals rightfully selected for need over glamor in third round

The Arizona Cardinals rolled with need once again on Day 2, drafting B.J. Ojulari in the second round before grabbing two more talents in the third.

The Arizona Cardinals have struck gold in their first draft under general manager Monti Ossenfort. In case you missed it, they snagged tackle Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round, before they addressed the other side of the trenches with edge rusher, B.J. Ojulari. 

Expect Johnson to immediately step in and compete for a starting spot, even if it’s not at left tackle. Instead, he’s likely to play guard, and there could even be a slight chance he begins his NFL career at right tackle in place of Kelvin Beachum. 

Meanwhile, the Cards went with B.J. Ojulari in the second round, fulfilling their need for an edge rusher. Ojulari isn’t the game-breaker like Will Anderson Jr., but he fits perfectly with a pair of up-and-comers in Cam Thomas and Myjai Sanders. 

Arizona Cardinals roll with need, high ceilings in Round 3

72nd Overall: Garrett Williams, CB/Syracuse

Garrett Williams is an interesting pick here given his injury issues and the fact Kelee Ringo was still on the board. Nonetheless, he still snagged two picks in seven games this past season, so there is game-breaking potential here. 

He’s also not afraid to get physical, evidenced by his 152 tackles, 9.5 stops behind the line, and even a pair of quarterback sacks in 28 games. If Williams can return at full strength from his ACL injury this season, watch out, he will see significant playing time. 

94th Overall: Michael Wilson, WR/Stanford

While some may not have seen wide receiver as an immediate need, we still need to be honest with ourselves and admit that we don’t know what will ultimately happen with DeAndre Hopkins. I mean, it surely seems like Ossenfort is gearing up for 2024 already with the sheer number of picks the Cardinals have already accumulated. 

That said, what’s not to say they don’t move Hopkins following the draft? Anyway, the Redbirds went with size here with Michael Wilson, who stands 6’2, and weighs 210 lb. Wilson is injury-prone, and has played in just 14 games between 2020, and 2022. 

Despite this, he had 64 receptions in those 14 contests, 864 yards, and five touchdowns. He also showed the ability to be a deep threat in 2022, with 16.1 yards per catch on 26 receptions. Overall, he’s a high-risk, high-reward pick. 

(Statistics provided by Sports-Reference/CFB)