ARIZONA CARDINALS

NFL.com analyst: Plenty of offensive line talent for Arizona Cardinals to choose from

Feb 21, 2014, 11:06 PM | Updated: Feb 22, 2014, 12:42 am

LISTEN: Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network analyst

It’s no secret that the Arizona Cardinals could use an upgrade on the offensive line.

Last season, rookie guard Jonathan Cooper suffered a broken leg in the third preseason game and missed the entire season. A few weeks later, the team traded away left tackle Levi Brown to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cooper is expected to return to the field this season, but for the team that gave up 41 sacks last year, more help is needed.

NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah predicts the Cardinals will add that help in the upcoming NFL draft with the 20th overall selection.

“I think it’s a great group,” Jeremiah told The Dan Bickley Show with Vince Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “Cyrus Kouandijio is the great wild card. We could be looking back three years from now and saying he is the best lineman to come out of this entire draft.”

Kouandijio is one of the four Alabama Crimson Tide juniors choosing to forgo their senior season and enter the draft. The 6-foot-5 inch prospect anchored Alabama’s offensive line in their 11-2 campaign, drawing comparisons to former teammate D.J. Fluker, who was the 11th overall pick in last year’s draft.

“When I studied him over the summer I was really excited about him.” Jeremiah said. “I thought he kind of took a step back this year, but his rare size, length and strength is off the charts and very raw.

“We had a good group of tackles last year and another one this year.”

Jeremiah also talked highly of Taylor Lewan, an offensive tackle coming out of the University of Michigan who is projected to be a first round pick.

“Taylor Lewan is the best one of the bunch in my opinion,” Jeremiah said. “He’s got plenty of size at 6-foot-7 and he’ll move around better than people think. He can play on the left or right and he’s just a solid player.”

Included in his list of prospective draft picks for the Cardinals was 6-foot-4 inch Zack Martin of Notre Dame.

“He can play inside or outside,” Jeremiah said. “Some people feel he might be better off playing guard.”

In his most current mock draft, Jeremiah has the Cardinals selecting Morgan Moses in the first round. Jeremiah describes the tackle as a “fast riser.”

“He’s played a lot of football at Virginia,” he said. “He’s another guy that everyone viewed as a right tackle but he went down to the Senior Bowl and convinced a lot of people he can play on the left side.”

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

2 days ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

2 days ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

2 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

3 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

3 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

3 days ago

NFL.com analyst: Plenty of offensive line talent for Arizona Cardinals to choose from