Cardinals Add Two Generational Players in 2024 Mock Draft
The 2023 NFL season hasn't even begun just yet, though Arizona Cardinals are focused on 2024 and beyond.
It's hard not to be excited for the future in the desert. Part of that resides in the extremely low expectations set for the Cardinals in 2023 with a worse roster, new coaching staff and projecting to be without Kyler Murray as he recovers from a torn ACL for a considerable amount of time.
Yet general manager Monti Ossenfort positioned the Cardinals nicely in 2024 with plenty of projected cap space available and hefty draft ammo, which includes two first-round picks.
With Arizona and the Houston Texans (their other first-round pick owned next year) expected to be at the bottom of the standings, there's a good chance the Cardinals could enter the 2024 NFL Draft with two picks in the top five - if not better.
Thus, mock drafts have especially been fun despite 2023 not yet unfolding before our eyes.
ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid recently compiled a 2024 mock draft where the Cardinals landed arguably the top two players in the class in USC QB Caleb Williams and Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison with the top two picks in the draft.
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Reid: "The Cardinals are in clear rebuild mode with the league's worst roster on paper. Quarterback Kyler Murray remains sidelined following a torn ACL, and with his timetable still uncertain and a new regime in place, Arizona could consider offloading his massive contract and selecting an elite QB prospect in the draft. It's a tricky situation -- Murray has a $51.9 million cap number in 2024, and the team would face a huge dead-money hit if it moved on -- but Williams is special.
"The junior is a problem-solver as a passer, seemingly always making the right play, even in adverse situations. And when playing within the confines of the offense, Williams has an explosive and compact release that enables him to make all types of throws. He threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdown passes last season."
No. 2: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Reid: "A strong argument could be made that Harrison is the best overall prospect in the 2024 class, and the Cardinals are starved for talent and lack a true go-to target in the offense. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he has an outstanding blend of size, reliable hands and body control. He finished last season with 14 touchdown receptions, the fourth-best mark in the FBS, and is now expected to be an even bigger part of the Buckeyes' offensive attack in 2023. Harrison reminds me of A.J. Green when he came out of Georgia in the 2011 draft."
The duo is certainly projecting to be a dream pairing in the desert.
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