3 Winners of the 2023 NFL Combine the Arizona Cardinals should be excited for - Defense
By Sion Fawkes
With the NFL Combine now in the books for defensive players, there are a few prospects who should have caught the Arizona Cardinals eye.
The Arizona Cardinals need a lot of help during the 2023 NFL Draft. And while many would love to see general manager Monti Ossenfort lock up Will Anderson Jr with the third overall pick, there is talent all over this year’s draft class on defense.
Below, there are four eye-catching prospects who caught the eyes of many NFL analysts at the NFL Combine. All three of these players also had solid to elite production during their final two seasons in college.
One thing to keep in mind is that these prospects pertain to the Cardinals. So while there may have been a few others who performed better than the following names, I felt that those you are about to meet below fit best for what the Cards are looking for.
2023 draft prospects the Arizona Cardinals should be excited for - Offense
1 - Calijah Kancey, DT/Pittsburgh
Take one look at Calijah Kancey’s (lack of) size for a defensive tackle, and you may scoff. But if memory serves me correct, another “undersized” defensive tackle also came from Pittsburgh, and the Arizona Cardinals should be well acquainted with that particular player. Name’s Aaron Donald, in case you were wondering.
So don’t let Kancey’s 6’1, 281lb frame scare you. Statistically, he’s also been dominant, logging 64 tackles, 27.5 for loss, and 14.5 sacks over his last two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh. He ran a 4.67 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine, the fastest time for a defensive tackle in two decades per NFL.com’s Chad Reuter.
What makes Kancey a good fit for the Cards? Really, when I look at and read about him, Aaron Donald continually pops into my mind. Not saying he will be another Donald, as that’s nearly impossible. But if he’s even remotely close to Donald, then Kancey will be a million times better than what Arizona has had at defensive tackle over the past three seasons.