2020 NFL Draft: Justin Herbert goes No. 1 in first-round NFL mock draft
By John Newman
Pick Analysis. Offensive Tackle. 9. player. 32. Scouting Report. Iowa. Tristan Wirfs
After the debacle of the 2018 season, the Arizona Cardinals hit the reset button, fired their first-year coach, and traded their good (not great), first-year quarterback. In came Kliff Kingsbury, air raid aficionado, who drafted Kyler Murray, and so began the Arizona Cardinals experiment with adapting the Air Raid offense to the NFL. In the 2020 NFL draft, they will want to expand on the re-build and protect their future quarterback.
One of the biggest issues facing the Cardinals in 2018 was its offensive line. Next year both tackles for the Cardinals are set to be free agents, and neither one is deserving of another contract. And with good offensive lineman hard to find in the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals should be poised to select a proven lineman in the draft this year to protect their new gunslinging quarterback.
In Tristan Wirfs, they’ll find a top echelon offensive lineman, produced by the finest school of lineman in America, the Iowa Hawkeyes. The 322-pound junior has the size to stop oncoming tackles and linebackers dead in their tracks, holding back the tide while Kyler swings it down the field.
Built more like a guard than an NFL tackle, this doubles as a positive since neither of Arizona’s guards are particularly great, and he could be useful as a two-position player on the line. Wherever they place him, Wirfs will have his work cut out for him, as he will face down some of the NFL’s toughest pass-rushes in the NFC West. His size and strength will be put to the test against the likes of Nick Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, Aaron Donald, to name just a few.
Wirfs will be up to the challenge though, as he has been a consistent protector for the Iowa Hawkeyes the past 2 years. He hasn’t allowed a sack all season. The 6-foot-5 Iowa native should be able to match toe to toe with whatever teams throw at the Arizona Cardinals.
Considering Murray will need as much time as he can get for routes to develop downfield, offensive line protection needs to be the first priority for the Cardinals in the 2020 NFL draft if they want to get the most out of their young quarterback.