With Quentin Johnston slated to visit the Arizona Cardinals, it makes you wonder whether he’s on their radar more than we thought.
The Arizona Cardinals brought in former Texas Christian Horned Frog Quentin Johnston for a visit. And if the two sides mutually agree to be good fits, perhaps general manager Monti Ossenfort shocks the NFL universe, pulls off a trade, and takes the wideout.
For Ossenfort to seriously consider this, he will be trading down. So in this scenario, let’s assume the Tennessee Titans is who he swaps picks with. Here is how I see the scenario playing out.
Mock Draft 8.0: Arizona Cardinals land Quentin Johnston
1 - Carolina Panthers: C.J. Stroud, QB/Ohio State
Until a consensus of reports indicates otherwise, C.J. Stroud will land with the Carolina Panthers. Over the past few mock drafts, this pick has been unchanged.
2 - Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB/Alabama
Like the previous pick, Bryce Young has been slated to land in Houston in most mock drafts. He will bring excitement to the starved Texans fanbase.
3 - Tennessee Titans: Anthony Richardson, QB/Florida
Anthony Richardson is as raw as they come. But with Ryan Tannehill slated in as the starter, the Tennessee Titans can let the gifted Anthony Richardson sit for at least a season.
4 - Indianapolis Colts: Will Levis, QB/Kentucky
Four quarterbacks in the first four picks might seem farfetched, but the imposing Will Levis is yet another quarterback candidate who can sit behind a bridge. So if the Indianapolis Colts think he can be their next great quarterback, why not?
5 - Seattle Seahawks: Will Anderson Jr., Edge/Alabama
One downside with the Arizona Cardinals trading down is that they are basically giving the Seattle Seahawks Will Anderson Jr. But as they say, you can’t base your draft around a division rival.
6 - Detroit Lions: Tyree Wilson, Edge/Texas Tech
No, the Detroit Lions don’t need to roll with an edge rusher thanks to the fact they drafted one who can evolve into superstardom sooner than later, if he hasn’t already done so. But why not fill the other side with another elite talent? Hey, the Lions may not be the same old Lions if this happens.
7 - Las Vegas Raiders: Paris Johnson, OT/Ohio State
With the top four quarterbacks gone, the Las Vegas Raiders will fulfill other needs. So, they look to bolster protection around new quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo.
8 - Atlanta Falcons: Devon Witherspoon, CB/Illinois
Defense has long been a weakness for the Atlanta Falcons, and Devon Witherspoon can help change that. Look for Atlanta to prioritize the defensive side of the ball early and often in this draft.
9 - Chicago Bears: Myles Murphy, DE/Clemson
The Chicago Bears historically win on defense. And while they could go with an offensive tackle here, they will once again go defense, taking an end with superstar potential.
10 - Philadelphia Eagles: Peter Skoronski, OT/Northwestern
I had Bijan Robinson here for several mock drafts, but I wanted to mix it up this time around. Instead of taking a featured back, which the Philadelphia Eagles don’t often do unless, of course, there is an outlier like Robinson present, they instead improve the offensive line with Skoronski.
11 - Arizona Cardinals: Quentin Johnston, WR/TCU
And finally, we have reached the end of this exercise, with the Arizona Cardinals surprising everyone and drafting Quentin Johnston. He will either replace DeAndre Hopkins, or if the 30-year-old is still in the desert, what’s not to say Johnston forms a potentially elite trio with Hopkins and the speedy Marquise Brown?
I’ve seen mock drafts with Johnston going all over the first round, and even a few where he landed in the second. But listen, given his overall size (6’4, 215 lb), and speed, he’s not falling to the second or even the bottom half of the first round. If Ossenfort wants him, he needs to take Johnston when he gets the chance.
Overall, with Johnston having come to the desert for a visit, it’s always fun to speculate. And maybe, just maybe, Monti Ossenfort wanted to go offense all along for reasons known but to him. We will find out on April 27th.