The Arizona Cardinals made arguably the biggest move of the offseason when they traded former Pro Bowl running back David Johnson and a second-round pick to the Houston Texans for one of the best wide receivers in football, DeAndre Hopkins.
Blockbuster trade aside, the Cardinals were somehow able to escape that deal without giving up their 2020 first-round pick. After going 5-10-1 last season, Arizona finds itself with the eighth-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Cardinals will have a list of top prospects to choose from but based on the team’s needs, its not too hard to narrow down the most likely selections.
Despite having one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL in Murray, the young rookie often found himself running for his life last season. The Cardinals gave up 50 sacks last season which was the fifth-worst mark in the NFL. As a result, it’s clear that the team needs to upgrade their offensive line in order to better protect their new franchise QB.
Luckily, the 2020 draft is full of talented offensive tackles that could come in and improve Arizona O-line from day one.
Alabama OT Jedrick Wills is one of the most commonly mocked players to Arizona and for good reason. At 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds, Wills has decent size and is one of the most athletic offensive lineman in the 2020 class. He needs to work on his instincts a bit but he’s able to bulldoze opposing defenders and keep up with strong footwork.
Another offensive tackle that the Cardinals could pick is Louisville’s Mekhi Becton. Becton has been one of the biggest draft risers as of late thanks to a strong performance at the combine. With a massive 6-foot-7, 364-pound frame with a seven-foot wingspan, many scouts have drooled over Becton’s potential to be an absolute mauler at the tackle position.
However, Becton isn’t all power. Despite weighing nearly 370 pounds, the Louisville product ran an insane 5.1 40-yard-dash and is incredibly athletic for his size. He may be a bit of a project but Becton’s potential is undeniable.
It was tempting to put Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown as the Cardinals’ Round 1 pick, but the team’s signing of Jordan Philips makes it seem more likely that offensive tackle will be their target. Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs is widely considered the top offensive lineman prospect in this class and after Arizona re-signed D.J. Humphries, Wirfs could be perfect alongside Humphries in Kliff Kingsbury’s system.
Speaking of strong combine performances, perhaps no player impressed more than Wirfs. Running a 4.85 40 yard dash at 320 pounds is already insane but add in a 121-inch broad jump and 36.5-inch vertical and you have one enticing prospect.
The only problem with Wirfs is that he may not last until pick No. 8. If he’s available, though, Arizona will absolutely pull the trigger. Otherwise, it’s hard to pass up on Becton’s incredible frame and potential and he is far more likely to be available by the time the Cardinals are on the clock.