Arizona Cardinal fans have been seeing projections of who the team will select with the No. 23 overall pick and whether that will be an edge rusher or wide receiver.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter thinks the Cardinals will stray away from both of those positions until at least the third round by selecting Texas A&M OL Kenyon Green at No. 23, Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III at No. 55 and Cincinnati wide receiver Alec Pierce at No. 87.
Green’s powerful blocking could land him in the middle of the first round, but the Cardinals would love it if he fell to No. 23. Arizona could play him at guard or tackle (he started at both positions in 2021), depending on how the team plans to get its five best linemen on the field.
Green was a five-star offensive tackle recruit that played three seasons with Texas A&M.
In his first season at tackle, he was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. In his second season, he moved to offensive guard where he was named an Associated Press All-American and to the second-team All-SEC team, according to NFL.com.
Reuter said in his last season, he proved he could start at all four spots on the offensive line besides center and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the nation’s top lineman.
Walker III was one of the best running backs in the country last season. He rushed for 1,646 yards, 18 touchdowns and averaged 6.2 yards per carry.
He finished sixth in Heisman voting in 2021 and won the Doak Walker and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards.
Pierce made the All-AAC Second Team last year with Cincinnati after catching 52 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games last year.
The Cardinals do not have a fourth or fifth-round pick this year pending any draft day deals made.