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The NFL season is almost over which means that between now and April, you are going to be seeing a lot of coverage getting you ready for the NFL Draft. The Cardinals own the seventh overall pick this season after finishing with a 5-11 record, good for last in the NFC West.
Bruce Arians is now the head coach and he came in with no "preconceived notions" of who his quarterback would be in 2013. Despite that, many feel that it will not be one currently on the roster.
That is why the SB Nation national page thinks that the Cardinals decide to upgrade their talent at the position by taking Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson with the seventh overall pick. Here is what writer Matthew Fairburn has to say about the choice:
If the board falls in this fashion -- with Joeckel and Smith gone -- the Cardinals would be in a tough spot. With new head coach Bruce Arians in place, he may look to improve an offense that finished second to last in the NFL in scoring. Some expect a player like Chance Warmack for this pick, but that's unlikely for two reasons. As good as Warmack is, a guard hasn't been taken in the top 10 since 1997 (Chris Neole, Saints, 10th overall). As good as Warmack is, he's not a flawless prospect.
More importantly, the Cardinals need a jump start in the passing game. Currently we're projecting Tyler Wilson here. As the draft process moves along, we'll get a better feel for which quarterback would fit Arians' offense best. If he continues hinting that he wants a quarterback who excels at play action and completing on third down, a player like Matt Barkley might be better than Wilson. But Wilson is the choice for now because he can play well under pressure and read the entire field.
It stands to reason that the Cardinals would take Wilson, or any other top tier quarterback for that matter. Kevin Kolb has proven to have some talent, but he can never manage to stay on the field with a plethora of injury concerns. As for John Skelton and Ryan Lindley, both appear to be a wash. Brian Hoyer may be an option, but is he starting material? Can the team rely on him to start ten games or more should Kolb go down again? I'm not so sure we have seen enough of him to make that call.
With a young prospect fresh out of college, Arians can work his magic and, hopefully, transform him into someone the franchise can have for the next decade or longer. He has proven to be able to mold young signal callers in the past and with the staff he has assembled on his new football team, there is no reason to believe he couldn't do it again.
What do you make of the Wilson mock pick? Would you be in favor of the Cardinals taking him so high or do you believe it would be a reach? Tell us in the comments section below.
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