While quarterback isn’t the biggest need for the Arizona Cardinals, they could still burn a pick in the later rounds for a future backup.
Colt McCoy is the projected starter for Week 1 as it stands at the time of this writing while Kyler Murray may not be ready until at least October. While the Cards could, and should, sign a viable quarterback in free agency, will they look to the NFL Draft to snag a future backup at the position, or even a sleeper who could play at some point in 2023?
As it stands, that could be the case. So if the Cards decide to go with a rookie quarterback to line up behind Colt McCoy, who are their best options? The following five names are ones who Big Red could select on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
5 quarterbacks the Arizona Cardinals could select
1 - Max Duggan, TCU
Dual threat ability is something general manager Monti Ossenfort will look for when seeking out a quarterback. Max Duggan has that, as the 2022 Heisman Finalist racked up 1,856 rushing yards during his time at TCU.
One downside with Duggan is that he didn’t breakout until his senior season. But in 2022, he tossed for 32 touchdowns, 8 picks, and 3,698 passing yards. He also faced more than his fair share of NFL-caliber players, having played against eight ranked opponents.
2 - Malik Cunningham, Louisville
Like Duggan, Malik Cunningham is also a dual threat quarterback who the Arizona Cardinals can implement a similar offense to what they would with Kyler Murray. Yet unlike Duggan, Cunningham tore defenses apart with his legs, rushing for 3,179 yards and 50 touchdowns across five seasons.
Unfortunately for Cunningham, he’s not the most accurate passer, having never enjoyed a completion percentage over 64.1% in a single season, with a career percentage of just 62.6%. But given his versatility, he could stretch a few plays at the NFL level, even if he were thrust into action as a rookie.
3 - Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Another player with five years of NCAA experience, Dorian Thompson-Robinson is yet another quarterback the Arizona Cardinals could bring to the desert on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. There is also a chance he goes undrafted, so they could even zero in on him as an undrafted free agent (UDFA).
Thompson-Robinson is arguably my favorite quarterback on this list because he’s produced well across multiple years in college, including three seasons of at least 21 touchdown passes. He also completed 69.6% of his passes last season.
Also, like the previous two quarterbacks mentioned, can extend plays. Thompson-Robinson rushed for 1,826 yards and 28 touchdowns in college.
4 - Jake Haener, Fresno State
Short and undersized has become the theme of today’s article, and Jake Haener is no different, standing at just 6’1, 195lb. But like the names listed above, Haener would fit well in a system tailored around Kyler Murray (or any system, for that matter), so it would make sense if the Arizona Cardinals drafted him.
Of the quarterbacks discussed, Haener is the most accurate, with a career completion percentage of 68.2%. He’s so accurate, that he threw just 18 career interceptions, and 17 across 2.5 seasons as a full time starter.
The only difference is that Haener is not a viable dual threat quarterback. However, he’s going to play mistake-free football at the next level and would be an ideal, high-end backup.
5 - Jaren Hall, BYU
And finally, we got Jaren Hall, yet another undersized, yet intriguing quarterback. He has only two seasons of experience as a starter at the collegiate level, but he made the most of that opportunity, throwing 51 touchdowns and just 11 picks in 2021 and 2022.
Hall boasts a career completion percentage of 65.2%, and he’s also a fair scrambler, with 800 career rushing yards, nine touchdowns, and 4.4 yards per carry. While he doesn’t have the strongest arm, a simplified offense in relief of a starter could cause Hall to thrive if given the chance.
As you can probably see, none of the quarterbacks listed above are exactly eye-popping, and don’t expect any of them to go in the first two days of the 2023 NFL Draft. But they are names you should know, as it wouldn’t be surprising if Monti Ossenfort snagged one of the above either late in the draft or as a UDFA.
While they wouldn’t start immediately, they would make a great backup for Murray, and in the short run, could also see some nominal playing time if called upon. We will wait and see if Ossenfort jumps at any of the listed names.
(Statistics and information provided by Sports-Reference)