Top 3 players Arizona Cardinals should completely avoid in 2023 NFL Draft

The Arizona Cardinals have plenty of draft capital, and they could even have more coming their way. But it doesn’t mean they need to take risks.

The Arizona Cardinals will most likely target the defensive line, since they could use a dynamic player on the end, or edge, and sooner or later, they will need to snag a defensive tackle. They could even opt to take one in the first round, but there are three early-round prospects who I am beyond weary of. 

Below, you will meet them, and I’ll give you my full explanation on why general manager Monti Ossenfort is better off just passing on each. In previous articles, you may have found that I’m big on productivity, but regarding the three prospects below, there are different reasons why I feel it’s best to avoid them.

Top 3 prospects the Arizona Cardinals should stay away from

1 - Jalen Carter, DT/Georgia

There is absolutely no way the Arizona Cardinals can justify taking Jalen Carter. Not only did he face charges that came to light during the NFL Combine, but his pro day also raised a serious red flag. 

Then, he stated he only wants to meet with a handful of teams. You may not find a better combination of talent and potential, but what’s been going on over the past month and a half should raise red flags. There are better options out there. 

2 - Bryan Bresee, DT/Clemson

As mentioned, I’m not a fan of players who can’t produce in college. Sure, you may claim numbers don’t tell the entire story, and I agree. But there’s no way I’m picking a player who logged just 51 career tackles in college in 25 games played. 

And that’s exactly the kind of player Bryan Bresee is. Someone will take a flier on him early, and yeah, it could be worth the risk. But I’m not holding my breath on this one. It’s a mistake our Cardinals must avoid. 

3 - Lukas Van Ness, DE/Iowa

I’m a big fan of Lukas Van Ness, but there’s no way I’m taking a player at any position who had just 26 games of collegiate experience. His productivity is intriguing, especially from playing in the Big Ten, but the only way I’d even consider him is if he falls to the second round and the Arizona Cardinals didn’t take a defensive end early. 

Overall, the NFL Draft has a slew of players at many different positions that teams should avoid. But since Arizona will likely take a defensive lineman in the early rounds, they need to make sure they get the pick right. None of the three players listed above give me confidence that they’re the right potential selections, especially in the first round.

(Statistics provided by Sports-Reference/CFB)