A trepidatious offseason lies ahead for the Arizona Cardinals. This Cardinals NFL Mock Draft is an attempt at projecting what the 2023 NFL Draft might look like for the NFC West squad. With eight picks and a top-three selection, the opportunity is there to kick-start a rebuild, if they take advantage of it.
In this scenario, simulated trades were active among other teams via the Mock Draft Simulator, but the Cardinals held steady and did not make any moves.
Latest Arizona Cardinals 2023 NFL Mock Draft
EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama | Round 1, Pick 3
The Cardinals’ first-round pick is one of the easier selections to predict. Unless Arizona engineers a trade down with a QB-needy team, it’ll probably be one of Georgia DT Jalen Carter or Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr.
In this Cardinals NFL Mock Draft, Arizona goes with Anderson. Few prospects have the sheer destructive consistency that Anderson has in both phases, and with his explosive athleticism and power, he can be a blue-chip player.
CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State | Round 2, Pick 34
Even if Arizona manages to retain Byron Murphy in free agency, they’ll have room to further upgrade their CB room in the 2023 NFL Draft. Luckily, with a pick just outside Round 1, they’re nicely situated to capitalize on the class’ top-end depth.
Emmanuel Forbes is one CB prospect who could be available for the Cardinals at pick No. 34. At 6’0″, 180 pounds, Forbes is a little light. However, he has excellent explosiveness, short-area athleticism, and twitch, and is a rare level of playmaker with his ball skills.
DT Gervon Dexter, Florida | Round 3, Pick 66
J.J. Watt has retired, and there’s a chance the Cardinals lose Zach Allen in free agency. Similarly to their EDGE group, Arizona can’t exit the offseason without adding more talent on the interior defensive line.
Early in Round 3, the value presented by Gervon Dexter is just too much to pass up. Dexter is 6’6″, 313 pounds, but moves and wears that weight very well. He’s essentially a forklift in close quarters with his burst and length, and he’s trending up with his hand usage.
C Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin | Round 3, Pick 96
The Rodney Hudson acquisition was a prudent move when it happened, but it’s soured over time in Arizona. And with a rebuild on the way, the Cardinals will have no use for an aging, injury-prone center on a bloated contract. It’s time to reinvest.
MORE: Arizona Cardinals Offseason Preview 2023
At the tail end of Round 3, Joe Tippmann makes a lot of sense for Arizona. With Tippmann, you sign up for a bit of required development, but no center in the 2023 NFL Draft has his combination of athleticism in space and power in the trenches.
WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State | Round 4, Pick 105
A Senior Bowl standout, Jayden Reed gives the Cardinals drastically-needed stability in the receiving corps. He’s a crafty, athletic route runner with excellent catching instincts, who can line up inside and out alongside Marquise Brown and Robbie Anderson.
OL Asim Richards, North Carolina | Round 5, Pick 169
Beyond center, the Cardinals also have a big need at guard, and a potential need at tackle in the near future. Asim Richards has the potential to help with both issues.
Richards is a sturdy tackle with great length and pop in his hands. But with minor lateral mobility issues, he could feasibly shift inside and be a force against defensive tackles.
DL Dylan Horton, TCU | Round 6, Pick 180
Dylan Horton is a visibly different mold of defensive lineman, but he’s played as heavy as the 280-pound range before. Assuming he’d climb back to that level, Horton has the explosiveness and power capacity to be a valuable rotational addition at 3-tech and 4i, with EDGE capabilities.
OL Spencer Anderson, Maryland | Round 6, Pick 213
An added bonus of the Tippmann selection is that the Wisconsin product can feasibly move to guard if needed. Ideally, you keep him at center, but if he ends up shifting and plays well, Spencer Anderson provides a nice backup plan in the middle.
Anderson already has playing experience at tackle, guard, and center, but projects especially well on the interior with his natural leverage and ability to stay square.
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