The NFL draft is Thursday and the big question for the Arizona Cardinals is whether they trade the No. 3 overall pick or more.
The general belief is that they want to make a trade to acquire more player selection this year and beyond.
However, in the latest mock draft from Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, they don’t make one.
They end up taking Alabama edge defender Will Anderson with the pick.
Nothing changes for the Cardinals, except for their new uniforms. They don’t need a quarterback, but they need reinforcements on defense all over the place, and new head coach Jonathan Gannon, the Eagles’ former defensive coordinator, has to be looking at his current front seven with varying degrees of horror. So, let’s give them Anderson, one of the most prolific creators of pressure in this class and in Alabama history (only Derrick Thomas has more sacks for the Crimson Tide). Anderson has every attribute you want in an edge-rusher except for bend around the edge, and I think he could have a T.J. Watt-level impact on his new defense. The Cardinals would settle for a Derek Watt-level impact at this point, and he’s a fullback.
Anderson is a slam dunk of a selection if they keep the pick. He is a great player at a premium position, which is also one of the team’s biggest needs.
Because of the effort he gives, his smarts and his physical traits, you know he is going to produce in the pros.
It might be a little disappointing to not acquire more picks but it would not be disappointing to get Anderson.
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