Arizona Cardinals 2022 NFL Draft Grades: The Best Player Available

Round 3, 100th Overall: Myjai Sanders, DE, Cincinnati

Grade: C

Similar to the Trey McBride selection, I like Myjai Sanders and think grabbing him late in the third round is terrific value. Scouts really liked his speed, explosiveness, and athleticism. And I do too. But the Arizona Cardinals just selected a defensive end 13 picks earlier in Cameron Thomas out of San Diego State. Arizona needed to improve their pass rush, but spending both of their third round picks on edge rushers could be overkill.

The counter is that Arizona might want to use Sanders and Thomas differently. Thomas may play more 3-4 defensive end while Myjai Sanders would see more time at 3-4 outside linebacker. This makes sense because of their size differences. Cameron Thomas is listed at 270 pounds. Myjai Sanders had trouble keeping weight on throughout the pre-draft process. He chalked it up to a stomach bug.

At 6’5” Sanders was listed as high as 258 pounds during the season for the Bearcats. He tipped the scales at a paltry 228 at the combine, which is likely too light for an impact edge rusher.

Having a player that’s too light is better than having one that’s too heavy, especially at an athletic position like edge rusher, but that’s something to monitor for the Cardinals going forward. Instead of doubling up on edge rushers, the Cardinals could have improved their cornerback room by selecting Alabama’s Jalyn Armour-Davis or Cincinnati’s Coby Bryant.

But if Arizona’s brass was in love with Sanders at this value and he pans out, it won’t matter that the Cardinals selected two players listed at the same position in the same round of the 2022 NFL Draft.