NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has a new mock draft out following a week of NFL free agency.
There isn’t much to be surprised with at the top of the draft. Quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are taken with the first two selections and the Arizona Cardinals go with a solid and consistently mocked player with the third overall pick.
They land Alabama EDGE Will Anderson.
I won’t be surprised if the Cardinals trade this pick to Indianapolis, Seattle or Las Vegas. If they stay here, Anderson makes the most sense for a team that desperately needs a difference-maker on the defensive line.
Anderson is the pick that makes all the sense. He has size and athleticism. He plays with a high motor. He has football IQ. He has a humility you want to see. On top of that, you don’t have to project much in terms of production. He had elite production against the best competition in college football. And after his 17.5-sack season in 2021, when opposing offenses doubled Anderson all season, he still managed double-digit sacks in 2022.
The trade-back scenario is interesting. The Cardinals have been open to a trade for a while as general manager Monti Ossenfort seeks more picks with which to retool the roster.
If the Cardinals stay put, Anderson is the pick that makes sense.
In a perfect world, they could trade back, acquire picks and still land Anderson.
The NFL draft is a little more than a month away. A trade probably will not happen until draft night.
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