Mock drafts heavily favor OT pick for Arizona Cardinals in 2020 NFL Draft
Apr 23, 2020, 7:10 AM | Updated: 12:55 pm
FILE - At left in a Feb. 28, 2020, file photo, Alabama offensive lineman Jedrick Wills runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. At right, also in a Feb. 28, 2020, file photo, Iowa offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
There are a handful of scenarios that could happen for the Arizona Cardinals with the eighth overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The most popular of which in the mock drafts leading up to Thursday have been Arizona selecting an offensive tackle.
Of the 139 mock drafts to come in since April 1 that we’ve tracked prior to the morning of the draft, 108 (77.7%) have them taking a tackle.
That’s aided by a strong class that has Alabama’s Jedrick Wills (46 selections), Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs (40), Louisville’s Mekhi Becton (15) and Georgia’s Andrew Thomas (5). Throw in two rather rogue selections of Houston’s Josh Jones (2), a guy projected more on the first-round bubble, and we arrive at that 106 mark.
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What happens in front of the Cardinals in its first seven picks will determine if they have a choice of Wirfs or Wills.
If the heavily speculated spurt of three quarterbacks in the top-six goes, along with Ohio State defensive lineman Chase Young following LSU quarterback Joe Burrow in the top-two, that leaves only four spots for Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown (15), Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons (8), Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah (1) and Wirfs before Arizona picks.
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Meaning, one of those last four has a strong chance of being available if Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert go early.
The Cardinals could also trade down, where a few picks of LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson (4) popped up in mocks that featured fictional deals, as well as one nod for Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson (1).
DeAndre Hopkins’ arrival dampened the buzz for a wideout selection. Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb (1) and Jerry Jeudy (1) were picked by Arizona only twice in these mocks.
