Future Flight Plan: Still-too-early look at top Arizona Cardinals draft prospects
The Arizona Cardinals just pulled off the upset of the year, beating the Philadelphia Eagles 35-31 in Week 17. In a win that will, no doubt, set the tone for the offseason, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray gave a performance that nearly silenced any conversation about the team drafting a quarterback with their top pick. Finishing with three touchdowns and a passer rating of 116.7, he completely controlled the game. In his latest radio appearance, head coach Jonathan Gannon was asked if there's any doubt about Kyler Murray being the quarterback going into next season. After a warm chuckle, he replied, "There is no doubt."
When those comments came through the airwaves of Arizona Sports' "Burns and Gambo", out went virtually any chance of the Cardinals taking a quarterback with the top-ten draft pick that they're going to have. The Cardinals have plenty of needs at other positions, but perhaps none more than wide receiver.
It just so happens this year's draft class is loaded with wide receiver talent. General manager, Monti Ossenfort has a plethora of picks to work with and a franchise quarterback under contract; There are plenty of interesting ways he can take this draft.
Exploring the top prospects experts have connected to the Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals currently hold the fourth overall pick. With a loss to the Seahawks, they're likely to be locked in with either the third or fourth overall pick – depending on if Bailey Zappe and the Patriots can beat Trevor Siemian and the Jets. However, with a win against the Seahawks, the Cardinals are very likely to end up with the seventh overall pick. With the likelihood that the Cardinals hold their current draft spot, let's take a closer look at who the experts have them picking in that fourth slot.
CBS Sports: Marvin Harrison Jr. - WR - Ohio State
In CBS Sports' latest mock draft, Chris Trapasso has the Cardinals taking Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth pick of the 2024 draft. Anyone who's watched even a few of Ohio State's football games this season can see why Harrison is touted as a "generational talent" by many experts.
As the son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison, his football IQ is astounding. Every part of his game is technically sound; starting with his release off the line of scrimmage. His quick feet help him to gain an advantage by taking the first step and leaving so little time to react. Not that he needs the advantage, his active hands are so good at fighting off defenders that his timing is rarely ever thrown off.
Harrison has many elite aspects of his game, but what might translate best to the NFL is his route running. The 6'4" speedster runs extremely sharp routes and can run the whole route tree. Using his incredible quickness, the breaks in his routes create immediate separation even against the best defenders that he's faced. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he somehow becomes even more of a threat. Commanding the open field and using it to his advantage, it's truly a work of art. Using his speed and shiftiness to make players miss, Harrison is a player that doesn't go down easily.
In fact, going down a little easier might not be so bad for him. The only real downside when watching his film is that he seems to take some big hits, and not all of them are necessary. The toughness that he shows is undeniable, and certainly something you want to see from a generational talent like himself. However, at just 205 lbs. there's worry if he'll be able to hold up taking those hits from NFL defenses.