The Arizona Cardinals have made a concerted effort to upgrade both sides of the line of scrimmage with premium talent through the NFL Draft since general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon took over in 2023.
It started with 2023 first-rounder and starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and has since continued with fellow first-round pick and defensive lineman Darius Robinson in 2024.
And based on Gannon’s thoughts on the line of scrimmage and the teams’ glaring needs, it’d be no surprise if the Cardinals once again went that route come April.
“You never know how acquisition is going to go, but you can go to my son’s football game who’s in third grade. You can go to a local high school. You can look at the national championship in college. You can look at the Super Bowl and it’s very clear: It’s starts with the offensive and defensive line,” Gannon told reporters Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“And if you’re that premier, it can end with the offensive and defensive line, too. It’s about blocking and tackling. Those two positions impact that before anybody does. … The team that controls the line of scrimmage has a really good chance to win the game. We’ll look at trying to get both of those units better for us.”
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From a defensive line perspective, there are plenty of options to sift through this draft cycle, with premium talent littered throughout the top of mock drafts and the NFL Scouting Combine.
And you better believe Ossenfort has taken notice.
“I think quantity is the big thing that stands out right away,” Ossenfort told reporters Wednesday. “I mean we’ve gone a couple years now where there hasn’t been quantity up front on defensive line and that can be cyclical. … I think with anything, it’s finding the right flavor for what your team is looking for, I think we’re a team that’s going to value alignment versatility to play up and down the line.
“There’s always going to be a premium placed on defensive front players that can affect the quarterback. Whether that’s from inside or outside, I think there’s value in both and I think there’s a number of people in the draft that can do that both from inside and outside the formation.”
He’s not lying when it comes to premium talent along the defensive line.
Of NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50 prospects update posted Monday, 15 are interior defensive linemen or edge rushers, making Thursday’s combine drill work must-watch when it comes to those positions.
At pick Nos. 16 and 47, Arizona will certainly have options.
That’s great news for a team that was near the bottom of successfully rushing the passer in 2024.
Offensive line has no shortage of legit prospects, either, with nine cracking Jeremiah’s list. Two of them include a pair of Ohio State products in Josh Simmons (31) and Donovan Jackson (32).
With Arizona’s connection to Ohio State, that now includes offensive line Justin Frye, those are going to be two names to keep an eye on as the week of the combine and the rest of the draft process rolls on.
“I think that you can never have enough big guys,” Ossenfort said. “We’ve always said that whether it’s on the offensive line or the defensive line, those are hard positions. Those are physical and those are grueling to get through a 17-game season.
“The depth at those spots is always going to be something that we’re going to look to add to, both the depth and the talent level. That doesn’t change this year.”
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