As we know, the Arizona Cardinals are a team expected to play a lot of their young players. Arizona will most likely depend on more rookies to make an impact this year than any other team in the NFL. Is there a Cardinals rookie that will stand out amongst the rest? The team came out of the 2023 NFL Draft having selected nine players; let’s see which ones could be in for a big rookie season.
2023 Arizona Cardinals Rookie Preview
1st Round Pick: Paris Johnson Jr, OL, Ohio State
Cardinals OL Paris Johnson Jr – David Eulitt/Getty Images
The reason I put a general OL next to the name of this Cardinals rookie is probably the main reason we’ll see a lot of him. It feels unlikely that we see this year’s sixth overall pick play any tackle this season, which is a bit of a bummer considering how high the Cardinals rookie was drafted. But never the less, Johnson will be out there day at guard, and we’ll get to see how the team’s highest-drafted rookie transitions to the NFL.
All rookies have growing pains, and Johnson will be no different, but I expect by mid-season, we will begin to see why the Cardinals drafted him so high. A strong second half will propel him into looking like a franchise pillar going into year two.
2nd Round Pick: BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU
Ojulari will be one of the youngest players in the NFL this year; the Cardinals rookie turned 21 just weeks before hearing his name called in the second round of the draft. Ojulari is a high-end athlete that brings impressive speed and bends off the edge. The Cardinals rookie has high expectations for himself in his first season, hoping to hit a double-digit sack total.
Ojulari joins a room of EDGE rushers that looks… open to be nice. The team lost veteran staples such as JJ Watt, Zach Allen, and Markus Golden. There are plenty of snaps open for the taking, and Ojulari is the most talented player in the room, in my opinion.
His size and strength are areas that will need to improve if he wants to become a dominant player, but at just 21 years old, his body is far from fully developed. Look for the Cardinals rookie to compete for early playing time off the EDGE with fellow youngsters Myjai Sanders, Cameron Thomas, and possibly Zaven Collins at times. Ojulari will be too tantalizing for Coach Gannon to keep on the sideline for long; expect to see a lot of the Cardinals rookie this year.
3rd Round Pick: Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse
Former Syracuse CB Garrett Williams (8) – Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images.
Apologies for going chalky, but when you look at the Cardinals’ depth chart, these three players are viewed as potential day-one starters. Williams was the tenth CB taken off the board in this year’s draft, but his talent and tape had the look of a top-five CB in my eyes. The Cardinals stole Williams due to an unfortunate ACL tear seven games into the season.
We hear a lot about players that are dogs, and Williams is absolutely one of those guys; he is a savage on the field. He’s an aggressive, physical corner that never second-guesses his excellent instincts. NFL wideouts are going to be in for a rude awakening when trying to block the Cardinals’ rookie corner on run and screenplays. Williams sheds blocks and has a nose for the baller carrier and is not one to make business decisions.
Assuming Williams is fully healthy for training camp, there is no reason he won’t be competing to start opposite Marco Wilson in a very inexperienced CB room. I think Williams is on the field and starting outside week one and is a player that Cardinals fans can feel very good about as an impact piece for years to come.
Bonus
3rd Round Pick: Michael Wilson, WR, Stanford
I expect to see a lot more of Wilson than most. Greg Dortch will spend most of his time in the slot, while Hollywood Brown and Rondale Moore are expected to man the outside. The problem is Moore has been available for just 22/34 career games, while Brown missed five games last season (Brown is also in a contract year and very well could be floated come the trade deadline if the team doesn’t see him as a part of their rebuild). Whether he’s ready or not, Wilson is another Cardinals rookie that could see some action in yet another thin position room.
5th Round Pick: Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
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Auburn LB Owen Pappoe (0) – Justin Ford/Getty Images
Finally, someone outside the first three rounds! If you know me, you know I had a crush on Pappoe the entire draft process. He’s an undersized linebacker that makes up for it with top-notch athleticism and legit sideline-to-sideline abilities.
Pappoe could certainly be delegated to special teams duties as he bulks up and becomes accustomed to the NFL game, but this is a player that Coach Gannon likely views as a ball of clay. If Pappoe gets on the field, keep an eye on the Cardinals rookie to make some exciting plays.
