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Assessments of Arizona Cardinals’ 2023, 2024 Draft Picks

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Arizona Cardinals v San Francisco 49ers
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The picks are talented, but the coaching plans are difficult to comprehend

Arizona Cardinals Draft Picks Tracker by Round in 2023

  • Round 1 | Pick 6 (from DET)
  • Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
  • Round 2 | Pick 41 (from TEN)
  • BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU
  • Round 3 | Pick 72 (from TEN)
  • Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse
  • Round 3 | Pick 94
  • Michael Wilson, WR, Stanford
  • Round 4, Pick 122 (from DET via MIA)
  • Jon Gaines II, OL, UCLA
  • Round 5, Pick 139 (from DET via DEN)
  • Clayton Tune, QB, Houston
  • Round 6, Pick 168 (from ARI via DET)
  • Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
  • Round 6, Pick 180
  • Kei’Trel Clark, CB, Louisville
  • Round 6, Pick 213*
  • Dante Stills, DT, West Virginia

Arizona Cardinals Draft Picks by Round in 2024

Cardinals’ 2023,2024 Draft Picks Career Starts, Accolades:

  1. 31-Paris Johnson Jr. —- Pro Bowl alternate 2024
  2. 25-Michael Wilson
  3. 18-Dante Stills
  4. 17-Garrett Williams
  5. 16-Marvin Harrison Jr.
  6. 9-Tip Reiman
  7. 8-K’Trel Clark
  8. 5-Isaiah Adams
  9. 3-Max Melton
  10. 2-Owen Pappoe
  11. 2-Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
  12. 1-Clayton Tune, Darius Robinson, Trey Benson, Christian Jones
  13. 0-B.J. Ojulari, Jon Gaines II, Elijah Jones, Xavier Thomas. Tejhuan Palmer, Jaden Davis

Total starts: 137

Rams’ 2023, 2024 Draft Picks Career Starts, Accolades:

  1. 34-Byron Young —- PFWA All-Rookie Team 2023
  2. 30-Puka Nakua —- 2nd Team All-Pro 2023; Pro Bowl 2023, PFWA All-Rookie Team 2023
  3. 29-Steve Avila —- PFWA All-Rookie Team 2023
  4. 25-Ethan Davis
  5. 22-Kobie Turner —- PFWA All-Rookie Team 2023
  6. 18-Joshua Katy
  7. 18-Jared Verse —- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2024, Pro Bowl 2024, PFWA All-Rookie Team 2024
  8. 17-Jordan Whittington —- PFWA All-Rookie Team 2024
  9. 16-Beau Limmer
  10. 10-Braden Fiske —- PFWA All-Rookie Team 2024
  11. 6-Kamren Kitchens
  12. 6-Davis Allen
  13. 1-Blake Corum
  14. 0-Desjuan Johnson, Nick Hampton, Tre Tomlinson, Jackson Brennan

Total starts: 222

Other PFWA All-Rookie Teams Draft Picks NFC West 2023, 2024:

  • CB Devon Witherspoon, SEA, 2023
  • S Ji’Ayin Brown, SF, 2023
  • K Jake Moody, SF, 2023
  • ST Jerrick Reed II, SEA, 2023
  • G Dominic Puni, SF, 2024

Note the only two Cardinals’ draft picks currently on the roster who were selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team are Budda Baker 2017 and Kyler Murray 2019.

Seahawks’ 2023, 2024 Draft Picks: Pro Bowls

  • Devon Witherspoon —- Pro Bowl 2023, Pro Bowl 2024
  • Jaxson Smith-Njigba —- Pro Bowl 2024

Cardinals’ Draft Picks by Position in 2023, 2024:

QB (1):

  • Clayton Tune, Houston, R5 2023

The Cardinals had the inside scoop on Clayton Tune because QB Coach Israel Woolfork worked with him closely at the Senior Bowl.

I have faith in Clayton Tune’s talent and toughness. Yet, it appears the coaches may not. They made two trades (Josh Dobbs, Desmond Ridder) to avoid having to play Tune —- and in the one start they did play him —- he was overwhelmed by the Browns’ vaunted pass rush —- causing Cardinals fans to believe that Tune is incompetent. I think the way the coaches handled this situation was brutal.

Now there are rumors of the Cardinals’ interest in Daniel Jones, which, if true, once again would appear to indicate that the coaches do not hold Clayton Tune in high regard.

As is the case with Kevin Stefanski’s similar style of offense in Cleveland the past few years, the coaches have yet to receive consistently effective, well sustained QB play, from any of their QBs.

If the Cardinals sign a veteran backup, Clayton Tune will likely be waived, and it’s quite possible that the Texans will either claim him or sign him to their practice squad.

Assessment: good pick, questionable coaching.

RB (1):

  • Trey Benson, Florida St., R3 2024

In his rookie season, Trey Benson made steady progress running the ball before getting injured: 63 carries for 291 yards, 4.6 ave., 1 TD, 6 catches on 6 targets for 59 yards, 9.8 ave.

The problem was that the Cardinals already had 4 talented RBs on the roster in offensive MVP James Conner, Emari Demercado, Michael Carter and DeeJay Dallas.

This was the kind of early 3rd round luxury pick that teams with an already well-rounded roster would make.

The thought was to draft Trey Benson as RB1OF —- which was deferred after the team re-signed James Conner during the season for anther 2 years.

Assessment: talented player, questionable draft decision.

TE (1):

  • Tip Reiman, Illinois, R3 2024

Tip Reiman is a good system fit for Drew Petzing’s 12 and 13 personnel packages. The problem was, as a rookie he was wildly inconsistent. The hope is that he can start to settle into his role and be a dynamic physical force in the running game, in pass protection and on occasion, as a receiver.

Assessment: talented, bur raw player, questionable draft decision based on drafting him too early while neglecting other, more glaring needs. Plus, the Cardinals in 2023 had already acquired a good, young, blocking TE in Travis Vokolek. Again, a 3rd round pick on Tip Reiman felt like a luxury pick for a team that is struggling to fill its biggest needs.

WR (3):

  • Michael Wilson, Stanford, R3 2023
  • Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio St., R1 2024
  • Tejhuan Palmer, UAB, R6 2024

Michael Wilson came into the 2023 draft with durability red flags. For a WR2, his production his first two seasons has been solid at 85 catches for 1,113 yards, 13.1 ave., 7 TDs. He’s missed 5 of 34 possible games due to injuries. Problem is, many Cardinals’ fans and some pundits do not have confidence that he is a legit WR2. I think M-Willy is a very good WR2, as long as he can stay healthy.

Marvin Harrison Jr.’s rookie season production of 62 catches for 885 yards and 8 TDs was solid. The problem was that he and Kyler Murray only connected on 53% of his targets. Here was the concern (which I tried to express to people before the 2024 NFL Draft):

From what I have heard, a number the Cardinals’ coaches were banging on the table for Malik Nabers. And that’s understandable. Especially if you compare Nabers’ 2023 college tapes to MHJ’s.

The hope is that MHJ will have a tremendous off-season and have a breakthrough second year. He is currently hard at work every day at the Cardinals’ training facilities. I believe that the more the coaches diversify MHJ’s role (more snaps from the slot and off motion), the more productive he will be.

Tejhuan Palmer is a tall, fast slot WR who spent his rookie season on the practice squad.

Assessment: The irony is that now Cardinals’ fans are clamoring for the team to draft a highly regarded speed WR —- for an offense that is mostly RB and TE centric and after having addressed the position 3 times in 2 years.

OL (4):

  • Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio St., R1 2023
  • Jon Gaines II, G, UCLA, R4 2023
  • Isaiah Adams, G, Illinois, R3 2024
  • Christian Jones, T, Texas, R5 2024

Paris Johnson Jr. is the Cardinals’ one draft pick in two seasons that has gotten at least a whiff of the Pro Bowl (as an alternate), and perhaps, had the coaches not made the mistake of switching the highest rated LT in his class to RT for his rookie season, it’s possible he could have made the Pro Bowl in year 2.

Jon Gaines II was looking promising at RG during the pre-season in 2023 but, alas, suffered a season-ending knee injury. In 2024, he was used as an occasional backup at guard and sufficiently held his own throughout his limited snaps. His tapes at UCLA and his prototypical size and strength (RAS) would suggest he could be a good NFL starter and now he gets to play for his OL coach at UCLA, Justin Frye.

Isaiah Adams appeared to be a reach in the 3rd round, especially with higher graded prospects like Cooper Beebe and Christian Mahogany on the board. His draft grades were made a little more difficult to project him at guard because he was switched over to tackle his senior year at Illinois where he struggled. While, as a rookie, he struggled particularly in pass protection he was a physical force to be reckoned with in the team’s high caliber rushing game. With good, persistent coaching, Adams could wind up being just as good as Beebe and/or Mahogany.

Christian Jones had a very difficult time playing LT in the pre-season but played commendably at his natural position of RT as a rookie. He has the size, strength and footwork to be a very good RT. Some of us had a Round 3 grade on him after his strong performance at the Senior Bowl.

Assessment: if the Cardinals can finally acquire a stud edge rusher this off-season, it would make the decision of bypassing Will Anderson Jr. in order to eventually trade back up for Paris Johnson Jr. (R1) all the more satisfying. The key is what happens from here on in with Gaines (R4), Adams (R3) and Jones (R5) —- and what a coup it would be if all three emerge as productive starters. However, just as was the case with the majority of Steve Keim’s offensive linemen draft picks, the worry is that much, or all, of that draft capital might go to waste if the GM and coaches don’t get on the same page.

Note: part of mastering a draft class is recognizing, year-to-year, which positions are the deepest and most talented. This year the talent at the Cardinals’ two biggest areas of need (DT and ED) is outstanding. Yet, wouldn’t it be so Cardinals if, after spending 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th round picks on OL in 2 years, they go right ahead and bypass the gifted DT and ED class to draft another OL in round one and even in round two?

DI (2):

  • Dante Stills, West Virgina, R6 2023
  • Darius Robinson, Missouri, R1 2024

Dante Stills has been the best Day 3 pick in Monti Ossenfort’s two drafts. The dude is a playmaker. In 18 starts, Stills and produced 89 combines tackles, 42 QB pressures and 8 sacks.

Darius Robinson, tragically, lost his dear mother during the season while rehabbing from a significant calf injury he suffered during the pre-season. He returned for a few games late in the season and got a good taste of NFL action, producing 10 combined tackles, 1 sack and 1 TFL. Hopes are sky high for Darius Robinson to emerge as a bona fide star as he enters his second season.

Assessment: If Darius Robinson plays on fire this season, then Monti would have hit two home runs at this position. However, Monti has yet to draft a classic nose tackle, and it is difficult to justify his lack of draft attention to the defensive front seven as a whole.

ED (2):

  • B.J. Ojulari, LSU, R2 2024
  • Xaxier Thomas, Clemson, R5 2024

B.J, Ojulari came into the 2023 draft with unmistakable edge rushing talent, but questions about durability and production. Unfortunately, while his edge rushing talent has been evident albeit inconsistent as a rookie, after hos season-ending ACL injury in pre-season, both of the pre-draft questions about him linger after his first two seasons.

Xavier Thomas is quite similar, talent-wise to B.J. Ojulari. While he has been more durable, his production at Clemson and after his rookie season with the Cardinals (10 combined tackles, 11 QB pressures and 2.5 sacks) remains a question mark if he remains relegated to the bottom of the depth chart.

Assessment: Ojulari and Thomas have value as nickel edge rushers. But the Cardinals’ need for an every-down star-caliber edge rusher remains a top priority.

ILB (1):

  • Owen Pappoe, Auburn, R5 2023

Owen Pappoe brings exceptional speed and range to the inside linebacker position. He has flashed the ability to chase, blitz and cover (39 combined tackles, 1 forced fumble and 3 pass breakups in 2 seasons).

Assessment: It appears that Owen Pappoe’s niche with the Cardinals is as a nickel LB but it was very difficult to understand why the coaches started Josh Woods (31.9 PFF grade) ahead of him for most of the 2023 season given Pappoe’s superior athleticism. Then the Cardinals signed UFA Mack Wilson Sr. to start at WILB ahead of Pappoe in 2024. Wilson is a very good blitzer, but he was inconsistent forcing the run and was shaky in pass coverage. Meanwhile, Owen Pappoe led all of the ILBers this past season with an impressive 76.9 pass coverage grade.

CB (5):

  • Garrett Williams, Syracuse, R3 2023
  • Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville, R6 2023
  • Max Melton, Rutgers, R2 2024
  • Elijah Jones, Boston College, R3 2024
  • Jaden Davis, Miami, R7 2024

Garrett Williams has emerged as Monti Ossenfort’s best pick on defense, as evidenced by his 82.0 PFF grade this season (highest grade on the defense). He is an instinctive, versatile cover CB who can excel both in zone and man. Question #1 is why the coaches did not assign him to cover Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielan in key situations during the team’s make-or-break games down the stretch. It seemed at times like the coaches were avoiding putting him front and center. Question #2 is why the coaches are starting Starling Thomas V and Sean Murphy-Bunting ahead of him. Garrett Williams has only started 17 games in two seasons. He’s not just a slot CB. He’s the most talented CB on the roster. Shouldn’t he be a player, like Budda Baker, the coaches would never want to take off the field?

Kei’Trel Clark has flashed playmaking ability every time he’s played, but the coaches apparently don’t favor him. This kid has a dawg’s mentality. If the coaches still have him at the bottom of the depth chart, for his sake, they should try to trade him. He’s too talented to be riding the pine on Sundays.

Max Melton appeared to get stronger with each game this season. When he and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson were starting in place of Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jalen Thompson, the defense was playing arguably their best football of the year. Then came the bye week and, as several of us here at ROTB were imploring the coaches to keep the chemistry of that unit —- Melton and the Rabbit were sent back to the bench and relegated as part-time contributors.

Elijah Jones was lost for the season due to an ankle injury during the team’s last pre-season game. It seems very likely that the coaches wanted to give him the equivalent of a redshirt year because they didn’t want to have to cut any of the other CBs on the roster. Hopefully, the coaches will give him a legitimate chance to win one of the starting spots or key sub package utility roles. This dude is strong on his feet, can press and get his hands on the football.

Jaden Davis is a pesky slot CB who has juice and finishing ability on special teams. With such a crowded CB room, he may have to spend another year or two on the practice squad.

Assessment: Thankfully Monti Ossenfort has addressed the CB position in the draft in ways that Steve Keim never had imagined. That said, Monti’s plan is confusing. Having signed Sean Murphy-Bunting to a 3 year $25.5M deal and seeing as the coaches were so high on Garrett Williams and Starling Thomas V while having Kei’Trel Clark champing at the bit, why in the world did Monti draft 3 more CBs last year? Why 3 CBs, while neglecting the defensive front 7, no less? The great irony is that draft pundits this year still list CB as one of the Cardinals’ top off-season priorities. Oy vey.

S (1):

  • Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech, R4 2024

I believe, and maybe some of you do too, that the Rabbit was Monti’s best Day 2/Day 3 pick in 2024. Whenever he played this past season, it felt like a panacea for what was ailing the defense. This dude is twitchy-quick and highly instinctive. And he is a pesky ball hawk.

Assessment: Superb pick, questionably underwhelming use of him by the coaches to the detriment of the team.

Overall Assessment:

Monti’s draft plans have been more heavily catered to surrounding Kyler Murray with stronger talent at the expense of passing on a host of star-caliber players, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Those plans were compromised further by long-term injuries and subpar play from Monti’s UFA signings and for the coaches’ insistence in some key cases on playing the UFAs over the draft picks when it appears the draft picks are more talented.

The question is —- what if some of Monti’s more unheralded picks actually turn into nice surprises?

What Monti could do, imo, is impress upon the coaches that “we drafted the following players to be starters —- preferably sooner than later —- so give them plenty of reps with the #1s:”

  • LT Paris Johnson Jr.
  • LG Jon Gaines II
  • RG Isaiah Adams
  • RT Christian Jones
  • TE Tip Reiman
  • WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
  • WR Michael Wilson
  • DT Dante Stills
  • DE Darius Robinson
  • CB Garrett Williams
  • CB Max Melton
  • S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson

Role Players:

  • QB Clayton Tune
  • RB Trey Benson
  • ED B.J. Ojulari
  • ED Xavier Thomas
  • LB Owen Pappoe
  • CB Kei’Trel Clark
  • CB Elijah Jones

CFAs/Waiver Wire Claims/PS Signings:

  • RB Emari Demercado
  • WR Xavier Weaver
  • TE Elijah Higgins
  • TE Travis Vokolek
  • C/G Trystan Colon* (UFA 2025)
  • DT Naquan Jones* (UFA 2025)
  • ED Benton Whitley
  • LB Vi Jones
  • CB Starling Thomas V
  • S Jammie Robinson

Rams’ Draft Plan

What Les Sneyd of the Rams does —- he drafts the players who fit their system coefficients and prototypes —- he then asks the position coaches to coach them up —- with the intention of plugging and playing the draft picks asap.

Plug and Play Cardinals:

The lesson here is what we have seen from 6th round pick Dante Stills, who was pressed into duty early on due to DL injuries and the lack of depth at his position. What talented players need is a decent opportunity. Not every player on your team can be a 1st or 2nd rounder, but if you draft correctly —- nearly every player you draft can be an effective starter. The Rams have proven that in spades.

Re-sign RG Will Hernandez, T Kelvin Beachum, C/G Trystan Colon, NT Roy Lopez, LB Krys Barnes to 1-year incentive deals. Re-sign ED Baron Browning and S/STs Joey Blount to 2-year incentive-laden deals.

Think then of how Monti can free up this draft to address the defensive front 7 —- which the 2025 NFL Draft is made precisely to order for what the Cardinals need most heading into year 3 of the MOJO era!

Where NFL GMs stall or thwart the progress of their teams is when they keep drafting at the same positions over and over and cutting draft picks before giving them decent chance to prove themselves.

The PFWA All-Rookie team in 2025 awaits!

Break on through, Monti!