It’s likely that the Arizona Cardinals will look to find a successor at pass rusher in the 2022 NFL draft after losing All-Pro defender Chandler Jones in free agency.
There’s no telling if the Cardinals will find their main edge-rushing target with the 23rd overall pick or in the later rounds. However, NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah was pretty adamant on how much he loves his top 20 edge rushers in the upcoming draft.
That should make the Cardinals feel a lot better.
The search for Jones’ replacement started last week when the Cardinals welcomed edge rusher George Karlaftis for a visit, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero:
With the draft approaching on April 28, the Cardinals are visiting two more intriguing edge-rushing prospects.
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Jermaine Johnson
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Cardinals visited with Florida State defensive end Jermaine Johnson on April 12.
The defensive end has been climbing mock drafts after accumulating 11.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, and racked up 70 tackles. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Johnson picked at No. 7 overall by the New York Giants and The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez pegs the Falcons as a fit with the No. 8 overall pick.
Teams can only host 30 prospects for visits at their facility so the Cardinals’ interest is worth a closer look. Johnson also hosted a visit with the Detroit Lions, who hold the No. 2 overall pick.
Johnson, 23, had a breakout season with FSU for the 2021 season after transferring from Georgia. He was the ACC Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American and could go as high as the top 10 picks in the draft.
While it’s not likely the Lions will draft Johnson, Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline reported that the New York Jets have been in “constant contact” with the Florida State pass rusher. Pauline also told Heavy on Jets writer Paul Esden Jr. that the Jets’ fourth overall pick will come down to either Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner or Johnson.
It appears unlikely the Cardinals will dive into any waters to trade up into the top 10 to draft Johnson.
But things could easily change.
Myjai Sanders
The Bears had Cincinnati EDGE Myjai Sanders in for a visit on April 12, as first reported by Josh Norris:
Sanders is the second edge prospect the Cardinals looked at on April 12. But unlike Johnson, the possibility of the Cardinals landing Sanders is much more likely.
While Sanders’ numbers dropped in 2021, totaling two-and-a-half sacks, he could be a steal for many teams including the Cardinals. The 6’5 255 pound pass rusher posted 31 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2020 and was a First-Team All-AAC Selection.
He was invited to the Senior Bowl in 2022 and was a standout in the eyes of the event’s director Jim Nagy, who said he, “could look like Day 2 steal in 2-3 years.” According to Nagy, Sanders had the fifth-fastest max acceleration among all players at the Senior Bowl.
At the NFL combine, Sanders ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds, which put him among the top performers in his position. But The Draft Network’s analysts gave Sanders a consensus grade of 74.30 out of 100, which put him at a fourth-round value. In terms of measurements, negatives that still exist are his hand size and arm length.
Sanders is still an intriguing prospect that CBS Sports analyst Chris Trapasso ranked third in the 2022 edge-rushing class.
The Cardinals have a second-round and third-round pick, but no fourth or fifth-round picks in 2022. Sanders would have to be drafted with picks 55 or 87 in order to be a Cardinal.
With a pressing need at pass rush, the Cardinals could deem Sanders as an easy fit.
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