The first year of the Kliff Kingsbury-era is over for the Arizona Cardinals. While the Redbirds did increase their win total from three to five under Kingsbury, there is still work to do.
After the Cardinals inevitably upgrade the roster in free agency, they will find a perfect opportunity to add more outstanding young talent in the 2020 NFL Draft, starting with pick No. 8 overall. Here are three prospects they should consider with that pick.
3. Jeff Okudah, CB (Ohio State)
Patrick Peterson remains to be one of the NFL's best cornerbacks. Byron Murphy showed promise as a rookie as his running mate. However, with Peterson's contract running out and some recent restlessness with the Cardinals' organization in mind, it may be time for Arizona to find a new lockdown cornerback to pair with Murphy.
Enter Jeff Okudah, who finished his final season at Ohio State as the clear No. 1 cornerback in the 2020 NFL Draft. Okudah played the role of shadow corner for the Buckeyes in 2019. He did not disappoint, tallying three interceptions and nine pass deflections. However, NFL teams aren't drooling at his stats.
Okudah fits the bill of a prototypical NFL lockdown cornerback. He played both zone and man at Ohio State, should dominate the NFL Combine with his athleticism, is physical, has all the confidence in the world and has the brain and foot quickness to mirror routes with ease. His 6-1, 200-pound frame is just icing on top.
2. Tristan Wirfs, OT (Iowa)
Kyler Murray needs protection. The offensive line has to go through a complete overhaul if the Cardinals want to see their dual-threat soon-to-be sophomore thrive in 2020. Why not start that overhaul with one of the best building blocks in the 2020 NFL Draft?
Wirfs, who measures in at 6-5, 322-pounds, is coming off of a dominant season with the Hawkeyes. He has the versatility to play either tackle position and is a prototype for each side. The Iowa product has prototypical athleticism for an NFL tackle, as he boasts nimble feet, strength and a sound core. His pass sets and physically devasting run blocking make for a franchise tackle.
If the Cardinals see tackle as priority No. 1, Wirfs is their guy.
1. CeeDee Lamb, WR (Oklahoma)
This one makes too much sense. Larry Fitzgerald is back, but it's hard not to feel as if the Cardinals need another wide receiver. Pairing up Kyler Murray with one of his favorite targets from his Oklahoma days in CeeDee Lamb is the ideal quarterback-wide receiver duo in the desert.
Lamb compares favorably to a consecutive three-time All-Pro in Houston, DeAndre Hopkins. Though he doesn't have the blazing speed of one of Murray's former Sooner receivers, Marquise Brown, he has some to stretch the field. However, that's not his strong point.
Lamb is a contested-catch ace, who uses his physicality, athleticism and soft hands to create a nearly unguardable catch radius. His physical route-running further more reaffirms the notion that he is “Nuk” 2.0. His 6-2, 189-pound frame is eerily similar to the productive Pro Bowler.
In 13 games in 2019, Lamb tallied 62 receptions for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns. With Murray in 2018, he recorded 65 catches for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games.
Follow Us
Subscribe