The 2023 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror. One team that was incredibly active, especially during the first round, is the Arizona Cardinals. They moved down from No. 3 to No. 12 in a trade with the Houston Texans, then moved back up to No. 6. In the meantime, they landed a 2024 first-round choice, all while ending up with a more than solid draft class.

Jonathan Gannon is the new head coach, and Kyler Murray is recovering from ACJ surgery and is expected to miss the majority — if not all — of the season. With that being said, let us examine the draft grades for the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals 2023 NFL Draft Grades

Round 1, Pick 6: OT Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) 

Grade: A

The Cardinals needed some offensive line help to protect Kyler Murray. As such, Paris Johnson Jr. was the top OL on their board. They moved down to 12 and got some extra picks, then used some to move back up to six and grab Johnson. He did a terrific job blocking for CJ Stroud, and Johnson will come in and be a starter from Day One. He also allowed just one QB hit during his entire college career.

Round 2, Pick 41: EDGE BJ Ojulari (LSU) 

Grade: B 

The Cardinals sure do have a lot of work to do on their roster, and they selected LSU EDGE BJ Ojulari in the second round. Examining Ojulari's stats, they aren't eye-popping: He had just 12.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons in the Bayou. He is a bit undersized, but he is just 21 years old and has explosiveness that will be beneficial to any NFL team.

His motor is the driving force behind him, and he was second in pressures behind only Will Anderson Jr. Ojulari is a talented player, but many figured the Cardinals could've added a cornerback or another OL with this selection.

Round 3, Pick 72: CB Garrett Williams (Syracuse) 

Grade: C-

The Cardinals did need a cornerback, as stated above, and they landed Syraucse CB Garrett Williams in the third round. Williams had four interceptions, 9.5 sacks, and 115 solo tackles during his time at Syracuse. However, he tore his ACL and will be out until the summer. On the other hand, guys such as Kelee Ringo were still on the board, and there's a chance Williams could've dropped a round later. He's a very good payer, but coming off an injury and taking him this early gives this pick a lower grade.

Round 3, Pick 94: WR Michael Wilson (Stanford) 

Grade: B 

The Cardinals used their second third-round pick to select WR Michael Wilson from Stanford. The WR room is a bit thin, especially with DeAndre Hopkins leaving either this year or at the end of the season. Wilson played five years at Stanford, although he played a total of eight games in two years between 2020-2021. Still, he finished with 1,662 yards and 134 catches with 11 touchdowns. His best season was in 2019 where he caught 56 passes for 672 yards and five touchdowns.

He stands 6-foot-2, so Gannon and the Cards adding a big-body WR to the room makes a lot of sense.

Round 4, Pick 122: OG Jon Gaines II (UCLA) 

Grade: A

The Cardinals double-dipped on OL by selecting UCLA OG Jon Gaines II in the fourth round. Gaines started games at guard, center, and tackle. He brings a ton of athleticism and versatility to the fold. Yes, the Cardinals didn't draft a center up to this point, but Gaines can be used basically everyone on the offensive line, and getting a potential Day One starter this late in the draft is a massive home run.

Round 5, Pick 139: QB Clayton Tune (Houston) 

Grade: D

The Cardinals selected a quarterback in Round 5, which was a big surprise. Yes, Murray is out for basically the entire season, so on the surface it makes some sense to get some extra insurance. On the other hand, the Cards still have Colt McCoy, David Blough and Jeff Driskel on the roster, so grabbing Tune at this point — especially with other areas of need — is a question mark.

Tune played five years at Houston and was the starter for the past two. He finished the 2022 season with 4,074 yards and 40 touchdowns. In his final two years, he threw a combined 70 touchdowns and 20 interceptions, so the talent is there. Just grabbing a QB this early is a huge surprise.

Round 5, Pick 168: LB Owen Pappoe (Auburn) 

Grade: B 

The Cardinals nailed the late picks in the draft with high-upside players, and Owen Pappoe is exactly that. He played four years at Auburn, finishing with a total of 145 solo tackles, eight sacks, and a pair of interceptions including 15 tackles for loss. The Cardinals declined the fifth-year option for Isaiah Simmons, so there's a path to Pappoe eventually taking his place.

Oh, and he ran a 4.46.

Round 6, Pick 213: CB Kei'Trel Clark (Louisville) 

Grade: B- 

The Cardinals did well all the way around with the exception of the Clayton Tune pick. They grabbed Clark in the sixth round, a player who started for three years at Louisville and ran a 4.42 at the 40-yard dash.

He brings athleticism and should be a key rotational piece for Arizona. The worst-case scenario is that he plays as a special teams player in his first season, but he brings a ton of talent to the fold.

Round 6, Pick 213: DT Dante Stills (West Virginia) 

Grade: B+ 

The Cardinals used their final pick (a compensatory selection) to grab a quality defensive tackle in Stills. He played five seasons for the Mountaineers and finished with 87 solo tackles and 24.5 sacks and an interception. Stills should be able to play a rotational role for the Cardinals in his rookie season, and getting a quality athlete this last is always a nice addition.