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Arizona Cardinals 2022 NFL Draft Grades: The Best Player Available

By Andrew Fischer

Sep 25, 2021; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Colorado State Rams tight end Trey McBride (85) runs with the ball after a catch against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2021; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Colorado State Rams tight end Trey McBride (85) runs with the ball after a catch against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 25, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back Keaontay Ingram (28) gets past the Oregon State Beavers defense and runs into the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter of the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back Keaontay Ingram (28) gets past the Oregon State Beavers defense and runs into the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter of the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 6, 201st Overall: Keaontay Ingram, RB, USC

Grade: B

Chase Edmonds signed with the Dolphins this offseason for $12.6 million over two years. The Arizona Cardinals needed a backup running back and secured the best back left on the board late in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Keaontay Ingram had a strong season at USC last year, running for 911 yards on 5.8 yards per tote. He also caught 22 passes for 156 yards. Ingram should serve as a power back in a similar role to James Conner in the Cardinals offense, as they already have Eno Benjamin and Jonathan Ward serving as smaller, quicker, change of pace backs.

The only reason this pick isn’t an A is because Arizona could have selected a corner like Georgia’s Derion Kendrick or Penn State’s Tariq Castro-Fields. Apparently, the Arizona brass didn’t think corner was a pressing need, as they passed on a corner with their next pick as well.

Round 6, 215th Overall: Lecitus Smith, G, Virginia Tech

Grade: A

The Arizona Cardinals signed former Giants guard Will Hernandez to a one-year contract this offseason. The goal was for him to compete for a starting spot with guards Josh Jones or Justin Murray.

Just one problem: Will Hernandez wasn’t very good last year. Neither was Josh Jones. They both ranked in the bottom ten of NFL guards according to Pro Football Focus. This is why I like the pick of Lecitus Smith so much. He should provide depth at the guard spots with the chance to start for either performance or injury reasons.

There’s more to appeasing Kyler Murray than giving him weapons, and the Cardinals seem to realize that they need to protect him too. The 6’3” 314-pound guard from Virginia Tech should be able to help with that.

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