Cardinals 2023 Draft: The 3-Year Results

courtesy of azcardinals.com

By Walter Mitchell

The one silver lining, perhaps, of the 4-Year results of the Cardinals' 2022 NFL Draft class was that only one player from that year, TE Trey McBride had to endure the team's worst record of 19-49 during that dreadful span. 

For the players taken in the Cardinals' 2023 NFL Draft, they have endured the NFL 's 3rd worst record of 15-36 over their three seasons --- but this time 8 of the 9 draftees are still on the roster heading into their pivotal "contract" years. 

2023 NFL Draft: Final quick-snap grades for all 32 teams

Grade

A

Arizona Cardinals

Draft picks

• Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr. (No. 6 overall)
• LSU edge BJ Ojulari (No. 41)
• Syracuse CB Garrett Williams (No. 72)
• Stanford WR Michael Wilson (No. 94)
• UCLA OG Jon Gaines II (No. 122)
• Houston QB Clayton Tune (No. 139)
• Auburn LB Owen Pappoe (No. 168)
• Louisville CB Kei'Trel Clark (No. 180)
• West Virginia DT Dante Stills (No. 213)

Day 1 grade: A

Day 2 grade: A

Day 3 grade: A-

Analysis: Arizona moved down three spots in the first round, essentially netting a 2024 first-round pick and still picking the athletic, versatile Johnson to bolster the line. Ojulari, Williams and Wilson were quality picks at need spots, though the latter two will need to put some injury issues behind them. They also picked up selections with two wise trades on Day 2.

* Problems were, imo:

1. Passing on Will Aderson Jr. the #2 highest graded defensive player in the NFL in 2025 (1st Team All-Pro), two-time Pro Bowler and NFL DPOY in 2023.

2. As you allude to, drafting 3 players with injury histories on Day 2 (after passing on better players due to trades), two of whom (B.J. Ojulari, Garrett Williams) have unfortunately been injury prone thus far in the NFL.

3. The Day 2 trades might have looked wise at the time, but in retrospect, the Cardinals passed on too many players who were stronger, wiser picks than the players they selected. Cases in point: Brian Branch, Steve Avila, Byron Young.

The offensive line rebuild continued with the smooth-moving Gaines. The fifth-round run on quarterbacks included Tune, who might be a good backup for Kyler Murray. Getting Clark as a slot corner and Pappoe at linebacker were absolute steals.

* Problems were, imo:

1. Sadly, Jon Gaines II suffered a torn ACL ijn the pre-season as a rookie and has not been well utilized since.

2. Clayton Tune did serve as a backup to Kyler Murray in 2023 as was sent to the rabid dawg pound in Cleveland so that Kyler wouldn't have had to take that pounding. Clayton had to beat out Desmond Ridder (traded for the Cardinals 2nd round pick in 2021, WR Rondale Moore, RIP) in 2024 but was leapfrogged by Jacoby Brissett in 2025 and subsequently cut. 

3. Kei'Trel Clark and Owen Pappoe have been underutilized by the coaches thus far. Hopefully they can get a fair chance to prove their value to the team this season.

2025 Holdovers PFF Grades: Best and Worst Categories

• T Paris Johnson Jr. ---76.6 ---12 starts --- 77.1 PBLK; 72.9 RBLK
•  
• OLB BJ Ojulari --- 49.0 --- 0 starts --- 59.1 RDEF; 41.6 COV
• 
  
• CB Garrett Williams --- 62.5 --- 10 starts --- 64.2 COV; 29.1 TACK
• 
  
• WR Michael Wilson --- 76.4 --- 17 starts --- 76.4 PASS: 51.2 RBLK
• 
  
• OG Jon Gaines II --- 60.2 --- 5 starts --- 66.6 RBLK; 53.0 PBLK
• 
  
• LB Owen Pappoe --- 64.1 --- 0 starts --- 82.8 TACK; 54.6 RDEF
• 
  
• CB Kei'Trel Clark --- 56.1 --- 1 start --- 63.9 RDEF; 39.1 TACK
• 
  
• DT Dante Stills --- 44.9 ---- 3 starts ---55.4 PRSH; 27.5 TACK

Players with more than 10 starts --- Position Rankings (Players with 10+ starts)

* Paris Johnson Jr. --- #19 T

* Garrett Willians --- #60 CB

* Michael Wilson --- #18 WR in yards with 1,006 

2025 Combined Starts Regular Season --- 48

Pro Bowls: 0

NFC West 2023 Draft Comparison: LA Rams (who did not have a 1st round pick)

Grade

A-

Los Angeles Rams

Draft picks

• TCU OG Steve Avila (No. 36 overall) --- 13 starts
• Tennessee edge Byron Young (No. 77) --- 17 starts
• Wake Forest DT Kobie Turner (No. 89) ---- 17 starts
• Georgia QB Stetson Bennett (No. 128) --- 0 starts
• Appalachian State LB Nick Hampton (No. 161) --- 12 games
• Georgia OT Warren McClendon Jr. (No. 174) ---- 10 starts
• BYU WR Puka Nacua (No. 177) --- 15 starts
• TCU CB Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (No. 182) --- cut
• Nebraska edge Ochaun Mathis (No. 189) --- cut
• Mississippi RB Zach Evans (No. 215) --- retired
• Wingate P Ethan Evans (No. 223) --- 17 starts
• Oklahoma State S Jason Taylor II (No. 234) --- UFL
• Toledo DT Desjuan Johnson (No. 259) --- cut

Players with 10+ starts--- Position Rankings

* G Steve Avila --- #9 G --- 76.8

* DE Byron Young --- #10 ED --- 83.9

* DT Kobie Turner --- #6 DT --- 83.1

* T Warren McClendon Jr. --- #7 T --- 83.5

* WR Puka Nacua --- #1 WR --- 96.3

* P Ethan Evans --- #23 P

2025 Combined Starts Regular Season: 89

Pro Bowls: Puka Nacua, Byron Young

Position Comparisons:

QB Rams still have Stetson Bennett; the Cardinals cut Clayton Tune

WR Rams Puka Nacua, taken 83 picks after Michael Wilson, is #1 WR in the NFL and 1st team All-Pro, but credit Wilson for cracking the Top 20 WRs in yards in 2025. 

G Steve Avila, taken 86 picks ahead of Jon Gaines II has developed into a top 10 NFL guard

T Rams Warren McClendon Jr., taken 171 picks after Paris Johnson Jr. graded as a top10 tackle in 2025, while Johnson graded as #19.

ED Byron Young, taken 36 picks after B.J. Ojulari, is top 10 edge and a Pro Bowler. Ojulari, due to injuries and depth chart decisions has yet to start an NFL game.

DT Kobie Turner, taken 124 picks ahead of Dante Stills, is a Pro Bowl caliber player.

Conclusions: 

The Rams' crushing of their 2023 NFL Draft without having the luxury of a top 3 pick in the 1st (or any 1st rounder at all) is a classic example of how a struggling franchise with a rookie GM and HC gets further set back by one of its most heated rivals. 

The Cardinals 2023 off-season and draft were dictated by Kyler Murray.

In order to accommodate Kyler's excessive contract, Monti Ossenfort decided to: (a) pare the roster down; (b) go into a full bore rebuild; (c) pass on re-signing future Pro Bowlers DT Zach Allen and CB Byron Murphy; (d) cater the 1st round to Kyler's wishes.

Monti wanted fans to believe that the roster he inherited was void of talent and was poorly assembled by Steve Keim.

Fact is --- here is a defense that Monti could have built through creative contracts and stronger draft picks:

SOLB: Will Anderson Jr.

SDE: Kobie Turner

NT: Roy Lopez/Leki Fotu

WDE: Zach Allen

WOLB: Dennis Gardeck

SILB: Zaven Collins

WILB: Isaiah Simmons

LCB: Byron Murphy

SS: Jalen Thompson

FS: Budda Baker

RCB: Garrett Williams

That 2023 team could have started the season 3-0 had Monti assembled a far more competitive defense and had he made a stronger interim QB decision. After a 3-0 start, it's possible that the team could have capitalized on its early momentum.

As it was with a stripped-down defense, the Cardinals' first three games were:

@ WAS 20-16 L

H-NYG 31-28 L

H-DAL  28-16 W

Fact is --- offensive tackle was not the Cardinals' #1 need in the 2023 draft, given that Josh Jones, the Cardinals 3rd round pick in 2020 was coming off an excellent season when he started the last 9 games at LT.

2022 LT Josh Jones: 

Overall: 75.8

Pass Blocking: 75.9 (4 sacks, 4 QB hits, 19 QB hurries, 27 QB Pressures)

Run Blocking: 74.0

2022 RT Kelvin Beachum (only OL to start all 17 games) --- 70.6

2022 LT D.J. Humphries (8 starts) --- 72.3

So, Kyler wanted D.J. Humphries to be his LT and, especially after Kelvin Beachum expressed the opinion of the locker room that Kyler needed to become a stronger leader, Kyler urged Monti to draft Paris Johnson Jr., the best LT in the draft class, to be his RT.

2023 RT Paris Johnson Jr. 

Overall: 60.1

Pass Blocking: 64.2 (8 sacks, 5 QB hits, 26 QB hurries, 42 QB Pressures)

Run Blocking: 55.1

2023 LT D.J. Humphries

Overall: 62.7

Pass Blocking: 67.7 (4 sacks, 5 QB hits, 19 QB hurries, 28 QB pressures)

Run Blocking: 56.5

Was Paris Johnson Jr. in 2025 significantly better than Josh Jones in 2022?

2025 LT Paris Johnson Jr. (#19 T)

Overall: 76.5

Pass Blocking: 77.1 (5 sacks, 8 QB hits, 21 QB hurries, 34 QB pressures)

Run Blocking: 71.9

2022 LT Josh Jones: (#17 T with over 600 snaps)

Overall: 75.8

Pass Blocking: 75.9 (4 sacks, 4 QB hits, 19 QB hurries, 27 QB Pressures)

Run Blocking: 74.0

But Josh Jones hasn't emerged as a starting LT since the Cardinals traded him to the Texans in 2023.

The main reason is that he has been the backup to three of the top LTs in the NFL:

2023: Laremy Tunsil - HOU

2024: Ronnie Stanley - BAL

2025: Charles Cross - SEA

Josh Jones' 3 Starts in 2025 

Shrewd signings by GMs of playoff teams in each case.

2025 LT Josh Jones SEA: started last three games for Charles Cross in wins over the Rams, Panthers and 49ers, Weeks 16,17,18)

Overall: 74.3

Pass Blocking: 70.3

Run Blocking: 71.9

2026 Contract with Seahawks: $4M deal with $3M guaranteed.

Outlooks for 2023 Cardinals' Draft Class in 2026

1. Parris Johnson Jr. has said he wants an extension that pays him $40M a year. Given that he has not yet graded in the top 10 at his position, let alone the top 5, and that he has landed on the season-ending IR in both his seasons at LT, missing 3 games in 2024 and 5 games in 2025 with knee injuries, the Cardinals would be wise not to hand out another "too much too soon" contract extension. Parris Johnson Jr. is a good leader and a very talented player who has yet to dominate at his position the way a #6 draft pick is expected to. Hopefully for his sake and the team's, Parris will have his most dominant and healthiest season this year.

2. B.J. Ojulari, now healthy and keenly focused, has a chance to emerge as the Cardinals' 2nd most productive edge rusher. That would be huge for him and a boon for the Cardinals. His highest sack total in a season came in 2021, his second of three seasons at LSU, when he delivered on 7 sacks and 11 TFLs. Coaches appear to be relying on him.

3. Garrett Williams is apparently recovering ahead of schedule from his Achilles injury. He is as adept in zone coverages as they come, but he struggles in man-to-man. Last season, like many of his teammates, he was a liability as a tackler (29.1). He is going to need to show vast improvements in man coverage and tackling in order to remain a starter.

4. Michael Wilson hopes to build on his stellar production in 2025, which could largely depend on Jacoby Brissett continuing to be the team's starter at QB. M-Willy is poised to take on the Puka Nacua role in Mike LaFleur's offense. If he succeeds, his market value for a contract extension should continue to ascend. 

5. Jon Gaines II has the physical tools to be a very good starting NFL guard or center. His 9.95 RAS score is the highest among all of the Cardinals' offensive linemen. Parris Johnson Jr. did not participate in enough categories to qualify for one. Chase Bisontis is closest at 9.85, followed by Hjalte Froholdt's 9.08, while Isaac Seumalo in 2016 scored a 7.80 and Isaiah Adams in 2024 scored a 7.54. One would think that Jon has a bit of an advantage having played at UCLA when Justin Frye was his OL coach. Yet, will JGII have a chance to win the RG job? Or, will he be pigeonholed as the C/G swing player on game days? 

6. Owen Pappoe is the most physically gifted ILB on the roster. His RAS score of 9.24 puts him among the most athletic players in the NFL at his WILB position. Two of his 2025 grades pop out. For a 2025 defense that exhibited major struggles in tackling and pass coverage, OP had the 2nd highest tackling grade on the defense at 82.8 and by far the highest coverage grade among all the linebackers at 70.3. The problem to date has been Nick Rallis' reluctance to play him, even when Akeem Davis-Gaither's tackling and coverage grades throughout his 17 starts were 55.9 and 36.5. Just as Nick Rallis kept running out the same "caution and cushion" defense for 17 straight weeks, he kept running out the same struggling starters. Is there an NFL defensive coordinator more adverse to making changes?

6. Kei'Trel Clark is another talented player who has consistently been put on the back burner by Nick Rallis. The epitome of how Rallis has treated KTC was in 2023 after giving him rare start --- KTC's grades versus the Rams that day were the highest on the defense ---> 81.5 tackling (9 tackles/ 7 solo, 0 missed) and 78.5 in coverage versus Matthew Stafford (2 receptions on 4 targets for 5 yards and a 56.3 QBR) and yet after another solid game versus the Steelers, Rallis elected to bench him for the last 5 games of the season. However, Kei'Trel Clark emerged as one of the team's best special team's players in 2025, grading an impressive 73.1 while being one of the leaders in tackles with 10 (8 solo while only missing 1. KTC is a baller who plays with a chip on his shoulder. Hopefully, Zac Etheridge, his new CB coach from The U will embrace him. 

7. Dante Stills' strength is as a pass rusher. In three seasons, he has 8 career sacks and 55 QB pressures. Last year, however, was his least productive, where he posted only 13 QB pressures and 0 sacks. This year Dante needs to get back to his forte as a nifty, quick, pass rusher. It also would help Dante's cause to improve his run defense under the leadership of Pete Kwiatkowski, his new ultra-aggressive new DL coach, Texas Longhorn's DC the last 5 years.

Biggest Question

If the 2026 Arizona Cardinals are going to be highly competitive this season, then Monti Ossenfort's inaugural draft class needs to step up, big-time. The question is --- will they come into this season pissed off and tired of losing? Or --- will they remain accustomed to what Brett Kollmann has been describing all along as the "longest, slow-burn rebuild imaginable"?