The Arizona Cardinals were scheduled to pick No. 3 overall. They they moved back to No. 12, and then traded back up to No. 6 where they targeted Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson.
Protecting the quarterback has been an issue for Arizona, and while quarterback Kyler Murray is out with a torn ACL, Johnson will be around to help keep the Cardinals’ franchise QB upright when he returns.
Here’s the Athletic’s Dane Brugler on Johnson:
Johnson must replace bad habits with more trust in his technique, but he is an athletic move blocker with the size, fluidity and character of a future starting NFL left tackle. With his quickness, he is ideally suited for a zone-based scheme.
There were a number of ways the Cardinals could’ve gone with their selection since their roster is relatively bare at a slew of positions. New head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort decided improving in the offensive trenches was most important for them.