NEWSLETTER
The buzz around the Arizona Cardinals’ third-overall selection is gaining steam. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported today that “at least six teams” have inquired with the Cardinals about trading up for the third pick.
According to Schefter, the Cardinals are still deciding whether or not to trade back:
We discussed last week the potential of the Tennessee Titans moving up from No. 11 to No. 3 and drafting Anthony Richardson via 4for4’s Scott Smith’s latest mock draft. But this week, we will discuss fellow 4for4 writer Connor Allen’s Cardinals trade-back scenario. In Allen’s Mock Draft 2.0 at 4for4, he has the Las Vegas Raiders moving up to No. 3, with Arizona getting the Raiders’ seventh overall pick.
Allen has the Raiders moving up to No. 3 and taking Anthony Richardson. Allen has C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young going one and two, respectively, to the Panthers and Texans and had the Colts taking Will Levis at No. 4. So, the big four QBs are gone in the first four picks in Allen’s latest mock draft.
Vegas makes perfect sense for Anthony Richardson. Perhaps that’s an even better fit than the Titans in a trade-up scenario. Signing Jimmy Garoppolo as a free agent gives the Raiders some runway to develop Richardson before handing the starting job to the former Gators QB.
In this mock draft, Allen has the Cardinals adding cornerback Christian Gonzales at No. 7 in the Raiders spot. He also has another team trading up in the first round, however! Allen has the Dallas Cowboys trading up to No. 14 (with the New England Patriots) and selecting running back Bijan Robinson.
Dallas said goodbye to Ezekiel Elliott during free agency. Tony Pollard is coming off of a broken leg and will play 2023 under the franchise tag. Some believe that Pollard is better served as a complementary back. So, trading up to draft Zeke’s replacement in Bijan Robinson at No. 14 would give Dallas that two-headed threat in the backfield. It would also provide them some insurance if Pollard doesn’t recover well from his injury.
You can read Connor’s full mock draft here:
Connor Allen isn’t the only place that I’ve seen the Cowboys landing Bijan Robinson. In 4for4’s Anthony Staggs mock draft the Cowboys land Bijan Robinson at No. 26.
“The Cowboys have made too many shrewd moves this offseason to address need areas with the trades of Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks for them to not do something Cowboy-like in the draft. Bijan Robinson is arguably a top-five player in this class but teams have learned the value of no first-round running backs. But this late in the first for a team that wants its identity to be to run the damn ball is too much to pass up.
So, Skaggs and Allen agree with Robinson heading to Dallas, albeit via different routes. Skaggs also has the Pittsburgh Steelers drafting Joey Porter Jr. at No. 17.
Of course, Porter’s father spent seven seasons with the Steelers as a linebacker and a Super Bowl champion. So Porter landing with the Steelers would be a really cool story. But it wouldn’t only be a fantastic story. The Steelers need to fill Cam Sutton’s spot (he signed with the Lions), and he could slide into that spot.
“Joey Porter Jr. possesses elite play strength to go along with his 4.46 40-yard dash and strong explosiveness. Porter can fill in Cam Sutton’s snaps and add some physicality to the Steelers‘ back end to more closely mirror their front seven.”
You can check out Anthony Skaggs’ full mock draft over at 4for4.com:
