The Cardinals entered draft night having the third pick in the draft and many predicted them to draft their defensive franchise cornerstone with that selection. Instead, Arizona pulled off a surprise trade that sent the 3rd overall pick as well as their 4th round pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for the 12th pick, the 33rd pick, the Texans 2024 1st round pick, and the Texans 2024 4th rounder. The Texans used the pick to draft Will Anderson out of Alabama in hopes that he will be the future star of their defense.

The Cardinals came in to the draft with arguably the worst roster in the NFL and I believe they still have the worst roster in the NFL following the draft. With all that being said, you are probably wondering how in the world did the Cardinals win this draft? The answer is not yet set in stone, but it relies on how this season plays out.

The Cardinals and the Texans have the two longest Super Bowl odds, thus making them the favorites to be the two worst teams in the NFL. If the season plays out like so, the Cardinals would possess the first two picks in next year’s draft. Having the first two picks in any draft is a luxury that every GM dreams about. Next year this would be even more of a luxury because I believe there are two generational prospects that turn any franchise around. USC quarterback, Caleb Williams, and Ohio State wide receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. are both can’t miss prospects. The idea of those two teaming up is absolutely terrifying. Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and he is looking to be the first back to back winner since 1975. Williams is absolutely lethal, as he can do it all. For just about anyone it is unfair to compare them to likes of Patrick Mahomes, but if anyone plays like Mahomes, it would be the USC standout. Marvin Harrison Jr. is possibly the best wide receiver prospect we have seen since the legendary Randy Moss was entering the league. The son of NFL great, Marvin Harrison Sr., uses a mixture of freak athleticism, ridiculous hands, and elite route running to torch defensive backs every single play. These two together would be unstoppable.

Even if the Cardinals don’t land the first two picks they are going to get two great selection atop the draft and for a team that needs a lot of help this will be so beneficial. If the Cardinals are able to get Caleb Williams in next year’s draft, they will also get a great trade package in return for their current quarterback, Kyler Murray. Although the Cardinals didn’t get any premiere players in this year’s draft, I think they still came away with a pretty good haul on top of the future picks that they acquired. After the trade with Houston, Arizona traded back up to six and drafted offensive lineman, Paris Johnson Jr. Johnson isn’t going to turn the franchise around, but he is going to be a really good player for a long time. The Cardinals also drafted potential impactful starters in the later rounds such as Garrett Williams and BJ Ojulari. If the right pieces fall into place next season, the future could be very bright in Arizona.