The 2023 NFL Draft takes place in just over 24 hours. Here is our final mock draft for the Arizona Cardinals, featuring a trade with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Arizona Cardinals could realistically make three huge trades in the 2023 NFL Draft. The likes of Budda Baker and DeAndre Hopkins could both wind up in another city, and the Cards could land such a ransom of picks, they may fill most if not all the remaining holes on their roster in one short weekend.
But if one draft day trade is bound to happen, it involves shipping the third overall pick elsewhere. And throughout this entire draft process, we’ve speculated the pick could land with teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts, to name a few.
In this final mock, however, we’re rolling with the Atlanta Falcons. The Cards will trade the third pick to Atlanta, and in return, they will get the eighth overall pick, the 44th pick, plus a first round pick next season.
So who are the Cards taking eighth overall? Keep reading to see who I would be taking.
Arizona Cardinals: FINAL mock draft for 2023
8th pick (fr. ATL): Paris Johnson Jr., OT/Ohio State
The Arizona Cardinals could do so much with Paris Johnson Jr. early in his career. While you can count on him becoming the next franchise left tackle, he could potentially kick off his NFL career at left guard, lining him up alongside D.J. Humphries and a soon-to-be-named center.
34th pick: Calijah Kancey, DT/Pittsburgh
Yes, there is a chance that Calijah Kancey goes before the 34th pick if a team needing a defensive tackle is looking for one in the latter half of the first round. In this final mock for 2023, however, he drops to the second, and the Cardinals select him without question.
44th pick (fr. ATL): John Michael Schmitz, C/Minnesota
Remember that to-be-named center from an earlier section? The wait has ended, with John Michael Schmitz coming aboard. The Arizona Cardinals offensive line is going to look good, even if two rookies could be lining up alongside one another.
66th pick: Keion White, DE/Georgia Tech
If Keion White didn’t get hurt last season, he could very well have found himself going earlier than the 66th pick. Last season, he registered 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles behind the line. If you want a sleeper, White could be your guy at the beginning of the third round.
96th pick: Tyjae Spears, RB/Tulane
In this mock, we’re going with the complete opposite of James Conner in Tyjae Spears. The smallish Tulane product rushed for a career average of 6.8 yards per carry in 33 games with the Green Wave. Last season, he nearly hit 1,600 rushing yards, and scored 19 times on the ground.
105th pick: Rejzohn Wright, CB/Oregon State
It may be disheartening to wait until the fourth round for the Arizona Cardinals to select a corner, but Rejzohn Wright could be well worth it. With four picks and 17 pass deflections over the past two seasons in the Pac-12, Wright has shown that he can produce.
168th pick: Christian Young, S/Arizona
The Arizona Cardinals might not look so far to land their next safety if they want a potential consolation for Budda Baker. Sure, they will be waiting until the fifth round, but Christian Young showed us last season he could be a nightmare for opponents. He had 76 combined tackles and 6.5 behind the line in 2022.
180th pick: Elijah Higgins, WR/Stanford
The Cards need to find a receiver with size, and Elijah Higgins could be there when they are on the clock with the 180th pick. With 11.6 yards per catch in his career, Higgins is a possession-style receiver who could, in time, complement the likes of Marquise Brown and Greg Dortch.
213th pick: Isaiah Bowser, RB/UCF
Usually, I love mocking players to the Cardinals based on production, but that’s not the case with Isaiah Bowser. While he scored 16 touchdowns last season with the UCF Knights, Bowser only averaged 3.9 yards per carry. However, he can be a short-yardage back, slash fullback at the next level.
(Statistics provided by Sports-Reference/CFB)