What to Expect From Every Cardinals Rookie in 2023

The Arizona Cardinals want to maximize their 2023 rookie class - here's what they can do.

The Arizona Cardinals under a new regime, and people like the direction they're heading. 

General manager Monti Ossenfort has impressed through his first offseason at the helm, which includes clearing cap space and setting the Cardinals up quite nicely for the 2024 NFL Draft. 

However, fans were also pleased with the Cardinals' 2023 draft haul. Arizona targeted a mix of highly talented players that also carried high character on and off the field, and the Cardinals are confident they were able to do just that. 

We recently concluded our series of rookie profiles for the upcoming season - here's what you can expect from each player in their first season as a professional:

Paris Johnson Jr.

Projected role: Starting LG

"With D.J. Humphries entrenched at left tackle for 2023 and minimal cap savings for 2024, Johnson Jr. may be looking at playing on the inside of the offensive line for at least the first year of his NFL career, if not his first two years.

"There is always the potential for him to go to the right side of the line, but that transition is not nearly as easy as many make it out to be. For immediate success, he should play guard for 2023 and perhaps play at a Pro Bowl-level in year one."

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B.J. Ojulari

Projected role: Potential starter

"Ojulari joins a depleted, but intriguing edge rushing group highlighted by second-year guys Myjai Sanders and Cameron Thomas. Outside of these three, the competition for snaps at edge rusher is far from elite.

"Gannon ran a highly-effective pass rush a year ago with the Philadelphia Eagles that saw three edge rushers eclipse 11+ sacks, so he could in theory get the most out of these three. The upside of Ojulari will have Gannon's attention, but he could very well be in for a yar of stash and developing similar to what Sanders and Thomas went through a year ago. But again, the lack of established talent has me thinking Ojulari will still see the field quite a bit.

"It is unlikely that Ojulari will be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate or even a full-time starter and every down player, but we should still anticipate the second-round pick to see the field plenty in his rookie season. Ojulari will be an experiment for Gannon to see how quickly he can get the most out of his crew."

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Garrett Williams

Projected role: High upside player (injury pending)

"The Cardinals will be hoping to get Williams back on the field sooner rather than later when looking at this cornerback room. There is next to no depth and I think my phone is ringing right now to see if I can try out for the unit...

"Williams would likely have been a higher draft pick had he not been injured, and while that isn't to paint him as some elite player it speaks to the value the Cardinals got for him and to illustrate that there can be some expectations for him so long as he can play.

"The best news for Williams is that the Cardinals won't be competing in 2023 and can thus allow him to take his time in his recovery to make sure he is at 100% by the time he takes the field. ACL injuries are different for every individual though, and Williams could be good to go for week one or he could miss the entirety of 2023... Thus, coming up with true expectations for Williams feels impossible at this current point in time."

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Michael Wilson

Projected role: Health will tell all

"With DeAndre Hopkins out of the picture, there is next to no clarity on who deserves the most amount of playing time as a starting wide receiver, so Wilson should compete for playing time there.

"We also know that having a can-do attitude as a special teams player goes a long way and there is belief that Wilson can contribute there as a gunner. There are truly limitless opportunities for Wilson to get onto the field.

"Therefore, Wilson's "projected role" will be up to him. If Wilson wants to play 17 games, then he can as long as he stays healthy. What Wilson does in 2023 will be entirely up to what he's willing to put in. If he carries on his previous mentality from his Stanford days, I anticipate we may see a lot of Wilson in year one."

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Jon Gaines

Projected Role: Versatile Back-up

"Similar to his fellow draftee Johnson Jr., Gaines II's versatility throughout the line was an obvious green flag for the Cardinals when they drafted him. There's no doubt that he will be in the fixture at multiple competitions this year and could be a primary backup or even the sixth offensive lineman on the team if he develops.

"Still, there is quite a bit of growth Gaines II needs to show before he can be counted on as a starter in the pros. I expect Gaines II to be a thorn in the side of his competition throughout the year, but 2023 would be best as a redshirt season for the fourth-round pick."

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Clayton Tune

© Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Projected Role: Backing up Colt McCoy - at minimum

"Tune will be part of that evaluation as a rookie as he competes for a spot as the team's primary backup and I believe he can become just that.

"Tune will be up against Colt McCoy, David Blough, and Jeff Driskel to be QB2 on this roster and I don't see many reasons why he can't be the best of the bunch.

"If Tune can standout with his gamer mentality that made him so good in college, he could become the Cardinals favorite quarterback and help the team at least be watchable while Murray recovers."

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Owen Pappoe

Projected role: Special Teams/Backup ILB

"The Cardinals have some great depth at the linebacker position; so much so that Isaiah Simmons is moving to the secondary and Zaven Collins is moving to the edge. Between free agent signees Kyzir White and Krys Barnes, it could be difficult for Pappoe to see the field consistently on defense.

"But as many Cardinals defenders have come to learn, standing out on special teams will be a great way to find some more playing time. Pappoe's speed and defensive background make him an easy fit to be a special teams gunner. If Pappoe is open to a different role than he has ever seen in his lifetime, he could be a significant contributor to special teams.

"Beyond 2023, Pappoe could fight for playing time next year. Being drafted by the new regime should bode well for his chances to compete for playing time, but that's down the road. As far as this season is concerned, Pappoe should look to make a niche as a special teams player and he could legitimately become a star for that unit."

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Kei'Trel Clark

Projected role: Special teams ace

"Stop me if you've heard this before - Clark is best suited for a role on special teams as a rookie. With his speed and instincts, Clark could be a heat-seeking missile as a gunner. There isn't any upside as a return man, as his lone return attempt came as a freshman at Liberty and it went for -20 yards.

"The hope is Clark can continue to develop and refine his play as a nickel defender, but his senior season showed that it will take time and patience to arrive at that point. His lack of size will limit him to this role unless he can suddenly turn into a lockdown player.

"For the value the Cardinals got Clark at, you have to love the stash-and-develop potential here, but this is a project player who is limited in his growth, no pun intended."

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Dante Stills

Projected role: Developmental DL

"There is room for Stills to improve, but this feels like a tapped-out player and that would be why he went as late as he did. That could play in his favor, however, especially when you look at the lack of proven players along the Cardinals' defensive line.

"You normally won't hear this about many sixth-round draft choices, but I believe that Stills could work his way into the rotation quickly and could even see significant playing time in year one. It won't be easy, but he may be the late-round steal that fans dream of having."

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