The NFL draft order is now set through pick No. 23 now that the first round of the playoffs is complete. The Arizona Cardinals have the third overall pick and that will not change, provided they do not trade the selection.
With the top 23 picks set, Draft Wire managing editor Luke Easterling put together a new mock draft.
The Cardinals land a stud defensive player.
With the third overall pick, they land Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
In these projections, the Chicago Bears, who have the first overall pick, selected Alabama edge defender Will Anderson and the Houston Texans take Alabama QB Bryce Young.
Carter is a disruptive force in the middle of the defense but he did not put up big statistical numbers in college. Over the last two seasons, both of which the Bulldogs won the national championship, Carter had a combined 69 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.