Which player do Cardinals fans hope to see drafted in the 1st round of the NFL Draft?
Less than a month until the start of the three-day extravaganza that is the 2023 NFL Draft.
At the upcoming event in Kansas City, the new Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon will face the task of revitalizing a team that saw a significant downturn in performance in 2022. Following a successful 11-6 season and playoff appearance, the Cardinals struggled to a 4-13 record and now have the No. 3 pick in the draft.
While there are numerous potential players to choose from at the start of the draft, only a handful of top contenders truly shine above the rest.
Yengols.com, a top sports betting resource in Arizona, utilized Survey Monkey to gather 150 survey responses from Arizona Cardinals fans in Reddit and Facebook communities. The survey was conducted to identify the player that fans prefer the franchise to select with the third overall pick in the upcoming draft on April 27th.
Who are Cardinals fans hoping will be selected with the third pick in the NFL Draft?
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Defensive players are highly ranked on the wishlist.
The Cardinals possess a youthful quarterback and key offensive pieces, however, the main question mark remains on the defensive end.
In the 2022 season, the team’s defense was a major weakness, ranking second worst in points per game allowed (26.4), 31st in touchdowns allowed, 23rd in sacks, and 21st in interceptions.
Cardinals fans are optimistic that the team will improve their defense by prioritizing three pass rushers with their top draft pick.
A majority of respondents, totaling 62.4%, indicated that they would like the Cardinals to go after Will Anderson Jr., an Alabama edge player with an impressive 34.5 sacks over three seasons with the Crimson Tide.
According to Arizona betting apps, it will be a challenging task to secure Anderson, the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, as the potential No. 1 pick.
Anderson and Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson are currently tied for fifth place in the odds rankings at +15000 to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick, according to Caesars Sportsbook Arizona.
Cardinals fans are excited to see Wilson, the former Red Raiders edge rusher, donning Sedona red for the 2023 season and beyond.
11.2% of survey respondents expressed a desire for Arizona to select Wilson with their first draft pick.
If the Cardinals select the 2023 first-team All-American in the first round, they will be adding a player with a proven ability to get to the quarterback, having recorded seven sacks in each of his last two college seasons.
Jalen Carter, the former Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman, caught the attention of Cardinals fans and received 6.0% of votes in our survey.
It is uncertain whether the Cardinals will choose one of the three defensive standouts or another prospect in the upcoming draft.
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Author
For more than seven years, Peterson Christopher has been reporting on sports and sports betting in Arizona. His prior experience includes working at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News. He now serves as the lead writer at yengols.com.
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