Top 5 ‘best players on the board’ for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 NFL Draft
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals must draft for need when Thursday night rolls around. But what if they opt to take the best player on the board?
The Arizona Cardinals could always draft the best player on the board, which barring some strange meltdown, practically guarantees they will at least land a star. Sure, the dilemma remains that they would still need to use their seven (currently) remaining picks to fill some gaps, so there is a definite downside to this.
Below, you will meet five players we’ve talked about here at Raising Zona and identified as the most talented prospects in the upcoming draft. Remember, this exercise is less about need and more about a player’s overall talent, productivity, and intangibles. So keep that in mind when checking out these five talents.
Best players on the board for the Arizona Cardinals
1 - Will Anderson Jr., DE/Alabama
While Will Anderson Jr. is on the small side, no one in the draft has a more proven track record of wreaking havoc like him. His 34.5 sacks and 58.5 tackles for loss reflect that more than anything else.
Will the Arizona Cardinals take Anderson, though? That’s the burning question that is a hard no unless they decide to stay at the third overall pick.
2 - Bijan Robinson, RB/Texas
Running backs shouldn’t be taken so high, but that doesn’t mean Monti Ossenfort and Company shouldn’t consider the superback from Texas. Bijan Robinson was a machine in 2022, rushing for 1,580 yards, 18 touchdowns, and averaging 6.1 yards per carry in the process.
And while he doesn’t fulfill a massive team need, the Cards picking him shouldn’t upset you. James Conner is productive, but injury prone, and Keaontay Ingram has shown us little. Robinson can easily remedy that.