Even with some surprise performances this season the Arizona Cardinals still have some obvious holes on the roster that need addressing. Sitting at 1-6 the Cardinals are projected to draft somewhere in the top five with their own pick and the Texans pick will range anywhere from inside the top 10 to 16th overall. This means that they will likely be in play to draft the top player at almost any position.
For fans of the draft, it may hurt that the Cardinals potentially could play themselves out of the sweepstakes for Marvin Harrison Jr and Caleb Williams, but it is more important to build a winning culture. Luckily for the Arizona Cardinals this is a deep draft class rich with talent. Regardless of where the Cardinals find themselves picking in the draft they will have an opportunity to select a franchise cornerstone.
Examining the biggest holes on the Arizona Cardinals current roster and explore the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft.
1 - Pass Rusher
Dennis Gardeck and Victor Dimukeje have exceeded expectations, but the Arizona Cardinals still have a dire need for a versatile pass rusher who can reliably play all three downs. The players brought in the last year of the Steve Keim era have disappointed.
Cameron Thomas has played only 39% of defensive snaps this season and Myjai Sanders was waived after just 13 games in the desert. Though the Cardinals have still been able to get to the quarterback, accumulating 18 total sacks on the season, targeting a pass rusher at the top of this draft can elevate the unit from good to elite.
The consensus top pass rusher in the 2024 NFL draft is Florida State defensive end Jared Verse. Verse entered this college season coming off a sophomore season in which he recorded nine sacks in twelve total games. That performance vaunted him into top 10 draft status and people have been watching his junior to season to see if he can repeat as a dominant threat.
Although the raw statistics have not been there, he only has 2.5 sacks halfway through his junior season, his tantalizing traits have kept him firmly planted as one of the top pass rushers. Ian Cummings of the Pro Football Network has the most recent scouting report on Jared Verse.
What is continuously referenced as a strength is Verse’s unyielding motor and burst at the line of scrimmage. Possessing a rare combination of elite effort and athleticism, the Arizona Cardinals would be wise to closely watch Jared Verse.
2 - Cornerback
Perhaps no single position needs greater addressing on the Arizona Cardinals than the cornerback room. Marco Wilson and Kei’trel Clark have consistently looked overmatched this season. Even if Garrett Williams is able to consistently perform like he did in his debut, the Cardinals still need a shutdown cornerback in order to elevate the defense.
There are quite a few cornerbacks who have found themselves in conversations regarding the top of the draft. Among them are Kalen King of Penn State and Kool Aid McKinstry of Alabama; however, the cornerback who is going to get the spotlight here is Iowa CB Cooper Dejean.
Dejean is by far the most exciting player to watch on an Iowa Hawkeyes team devoid of explosive plays. Like Jared Verse, Cooper Dejean got the NFL’s attention with a strong 2022 season. In his sophomore season Dejean recorded five interceptions and returned three of them for defensive touchdowns. Pairing his defensive prowess along with his game-breaking ability as a returner was enough for him to earn first team All-American honors.
In 2023 Cooper Dejean has been a massive reason why Iowa has been able to remain competitive despite a lifeless offense. Through six games he has two interceptions and a punt return for a touchdown. If not for a controversial call at the end of game versus Minnesota, Dejean would have had a probable game winning touchdown to his name as well.
Pro Football Network’s scouting report by Ian Cummings emphasizes that his primary strengths are his athleticism, adaptability, and discipline. He has a natural understanding of zone coverage, and his strong body type makes him intriguing in press coverage and as an open field tackler. Dejean also has proven track speed, completing the 100-meter sprint in just 10.71 seconds. For comparison, this time is within the recruiting standards for Division 1 track and field athletics.
Dejean is currently slotted as a mid first-round draft pick who is in contention to be the first cornerback selected. If the Texans keep outperforming their preseason projections, then the Arizona Cardinals could find themselves in range to select the Iowa star. His skillset fits what Jonathan Gannon normally looks for in defensive players, so he should be a player on every fan’s radar.
The Arizona Cardinals have surrendered nine sacks in the last three games after only allowing six through the first four. There are certainly worse offensive tackles than D.J. Humphries, but his long term future is in question.
He turns 30 years old in December and the Cardinals have a potential out from his contract in 2024. Though it’s possible he could stick around with a restructure of his current deal, do not expect the Cardinals to pay him the nearly $23 million cap hit he has next season. If the Arizona Cardinals move on from Hump, they will have a massive need to find a tackle to pair with Paris Johnson.
The Cardinals ought to keep a close eye on Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt, the man with the plain name and fiery game. Standing at a massive 6’8” 322 pounds, Alt has the body to push around NFL pass rushers.
This season, Alt has been the figurehead of a Notre Dame offensive line that has only allowed 1.38 sacks per game. According to Pro Football Focus, Joe Alt has only allowed one sack in the last two seasons on 653 pass blocking snaps. If the Arizona Cardinals opt to keep Kyler Murray, this would go a long way in giving him more time and allowing him to more naturally mature his ability to do damage through the air.
Joe Alt is a projected top 10 pick and likely the second offensive tackle off the board behind only Penn State OT Olu Fashanu. Going for offensive line near the top of the draft would not be making many headlines, but these are moves that are necessary to build a Super Bowl contender. Besides, Cardinals fans would not mind once they are seeing Joe “ctrl alt delete” whoever is in front of him.