2023 NFL Draft: Arizona Cardinals take pair of Alabama prospects in new Todd McShay Mock Draft

The Arizona Cardinals want to trade the third overall pick.

We will explore potential trade packages over the next couple of weeks with the three or four teams that are being whispered about, but for now, the mock drafts from the big names keep on coming.

Todd McShay dropped a two-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft on Wednesday and has the Arizona Cardinals double dipping in the Alabama Crimson Tide well.

From E$PN:

Arizona Cardinals trade pick 1.03 for pick 1.04, 3.79 and 2024 second round pick:

In this scenario, it’s actually Indy that makes the move, sliding up one spot to block any other teams trying to nab a passer and securing its guy in the process. And for Arizona, this is the best-case outcome. The Cards drop only one spot to No. 4, can still draft a dominant defender and pick up something in the ballpark of a third-rounder (No. 79) and a future second-rounder along the way.

4. Arizona Cardinals (mock trade with IND)

Will Anderson Jr., OLB, Alabama

Who is rushing the passer in Arizona right now? J.J. Watt retired, and Zach Allen is off to Denver. If new GM Monti Ossenfort wants to turn this ship around, he needs to find a dominant force off the edge who can get after the quarterback. Luckily for the Cards, they land the best one in the class despite moving back a spot. Anderson has real explosion to his game, getting on offensive tackles in an instant and then displaying the power to beat them one-on-one. He was extremely productive in college, posting 34.5 sacks and 66 tackles for loss over three years.

34. Arizona Cardinals

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

James Conner is under contract, but the Cards’ offense is at its best when it rolls out multiple backs who can do a lot of different things. Gibbs is a shifty runner with the suddenness to make defenders miss and a devastating second gear to run away from them once he hits daylight. He not only ran for 926 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022, but also caught 44 passes.

I love the trade down and Will Anderson. More than any other scenario this is what I would want to see, the Cardinals move down one spot, add a third this year and a second next year for a team likely to be drafting in the top 40 again.

So, getting Anderson, 3.79 and next years two is great.

I don’t like drafting Gibbs here.

I love Gibbs the prospect, Justin and I have talked about him quite a bit, he is not Alvin Kamara because he’s much smaller, but his best case, and this is absolutely high-end comp, is Jamaal Charles. Though the more likely outcome is below that.

If Gibbs hits and becomes the next Jamaal Charles, then you may have made a bad selection, but if it was me I would take Kelee Ringo, John Michael Schmitz or Steve Avila.

What would you do?