Arizona Cardinals' 2024 NFL draft series: Examining the defensive line
The NFL draft begins Thursday and after a month or so of free-agent signings and trades, teams are gearing up to add their next wave of players into the mix.
The 2024 draft class is intriguing for many reasons, and it could be historic. The first four picks could all be quarterbacks, something which has never happened since the draft began in 1936. As many as six quarterbacks could go in the first round, but this draft is also top-loaded with dozens of highly rated wide receiver prospects and almost as many talented offensive linemen and cornerbacks.
The Cardinals currently have 11 picks, tied for the most in the league with the Packers and Rams, as they have two picks in the first round (Nos .4 and 27 overall), one in the second (No. 35), three in the third (Nos. 66, 71 and 90), one in the fourth (No.104), two in the fifth (Nos. 138 and 162), one in the sixth (No. 186), and one in the seventh (No. 226).
The Republic is examining how the team might tackle the draft, offering a daily series of what to look for with a position-by-position breakdown. Here's a look at the situation along the defensive line.
Previous stories: QB/RB | WR/TE | OL
Players under contract: Defensive end Bilal Nichols, nose tackle Khyiris Tonga, defensive tackle Justin Jones, defensive end L.J. Collier, nose tackle Roy Lopez, defensive tackle Dante Stills, defensive end Phil Hoskins, nose tackle Naquan Jones, defensive tackle Ben Stille
Priority level: Moderate
Evaluation: This was one of the Cardinals’ biggest glaring needs entering the offseason and General Manager Monti Ossenfort was able to address the brunt of it through free agency.
He added three new potential starters by signing Justin Jones from the Bears and Bilal Nichols from the Raiders to three-year contracts, signing Khyiris Tonga from the Vikings to a one-year deal, and bringing back a starter from a year ago, L.J. Collier, on another one-year deal.
The depth behind them isn’t stellar, but it’s serviceable. It’s highly likely Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon will be eyeing more help via the draft, adding at least one defensive tackle or an edge rusher they can line up at defensive end.
Arizona allowed the most rushing yards per game in the NFL last season (143.2) and the fourth-most rushing touchdowns (19). The Cardinals also finished with the third-fewest quarterback sacks (33), getting only one during their final six games.
The additions of Jones, Nichols and Tonga and the return of a healthy Collier should help stuff the run and provide some disruption in the passing game. Jones and Nichols, specifically, have been durable and dependable in recent seasons.
Jones has started all 17 games in each of the past two years and has 7½ sacks, 22 tackles for loss, and 24 quarterback hits in that span. Meanwhile, Nichols has started 65 games with 11 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and 35 QB hits since 2020. At 27, they’re both still in their prime.
“First and foremost, it starts with the tape and how we see players fitting with our group and our scheme,” Ossenfort said. “Anytime we can add younger players in that age frame, durability being a big part of it – one of the biggest abilities is durability, being out there every week – so being able to check those boxes are certainly positives and also guys we can continue to move forward with.
“We’re excited that most, if not all the guys we signed, fit that bill, so not only can that help our 2024 roster but moving forward into the coming seasons is also a positive.”
If the Cardinals don’t trade down and out of the No. 4 overall pick, it’s doubtful they’ll be drafting a defensive player with their first selection. They could find a quality defensive tackle or edge man with a mid-round pick in a trade package – a prospect such as Dallas Turner from Alabama, Jared Verse from Florida State, or Byron Murphy II from Texas, for instance.
If they hold on to No. 4, the belief is that they’ll draft wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. from Ohio State.
Presently also holding the 27th overall pick in a trade they made last year with the Texans, the Cardinals could add defensive line help toward the end of the first round or into the second, where they’re slated to pick 35th overall.
Possible players who could fall to them in that range at either defensive tackle or pass rusher include Laiatu Latu (UCLA), Chop Robinson (Penn State), Darius Robinson (Missouri), Der’Zhan Newton (Illinois), and T’Vondre Sweat (Texas).
Whomever the Cardinals decide to add up front, Nichols said he wants everyone to know the defensive line will be a physical and dominating bunch.
“Stop the run, that’s my goal,” he said. “I want to bring in a mindset into this organization and our D-line room of just, ‘We’re the baddest ... walking, point blank, period and nobody out physicals us. That’s just what it is. That’s the message I want to pass on to my teammates, to my D-line mates and to anybody I come across in this building. That’s the type of mindset we’ve got to have every single day.”
Top defensive linemen in the draft
Dallas Turner, 6-3, 247, Alabama
Dallas Turner, 6-3, 247, Alabama
Jared Verse, 6-4, 254, Florida State
Byron Murphy II, 6-1, 308, Texas
Laiatu Latu, 6-4, 259, UCLA
Chop Robinson, 6-2, 254, Penn State
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals' 2024 NFL draft walk-up series: Examining the D-line
