Why Cardinals made the right call in NFL Draft

In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals made a no-brainer decision with the fourth overall pick, selecting Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr. The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame WR Marvin Harrison Sr.  is set to be their leading pass-catcher and give Kyler Murray his best target since DeAndre Hopkins.

While the selection was obvious, the decision to hang on to the fourth pick wasn’t. With six quarterbacks selected in the top 12 picks, it’s possible Arizona could have traded its pick to a QB-needy team for more picks and/or veterans.

One of the teams who was considered likely to make a move with the Cardinals was the Minnesota Vikings. They owned the 11th and 23rd picks and were reportedly looking to draft Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

We now know this worked out for Minnesota regardless, as the Vikings only needed to move up one spot to grab McCarthy. This doesn’t eliminate the possibility that Arizona received trade offers, especially considering Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.’s surprisingly high draft value.

While moving down the board and amassing draft capital sounds nice in theory, eventually teams have to cash in and land superstar talent. That’s exactly what the Cardinals did by bringing Harrison to Arizona.

"Harrison has rare body control, strong hands and great flexibility, putting him in line with the top receiver prospects we've seen this century," ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid wrote in April .

The Cardinals could’ve charged a king’s ransom to any team looking to move up to fourth overall, but instead locked down what feels like a surefire superstar. Trading out of the pick would have been an unnecessary gamble.

Banking on future draft picks is always a risky game. You are forced to rely on other team’s records and future prospects meeting your needs. Instead of rolling the dice by acquiring another team’s pick, the Cardinals took the guarantee of an elite prospect.

The other positive in their decision is the fact that Harrison — who caught 155 passes for 2,613 yards and 31 TDs at Ohio State — should contribute right away.

This is monumental for an Arizona team looking to capitalize on the prime of its QB, who will turn 27 on Aug. 7. Murray and Harrison form what should be a formidable duo for years, completely changing what was a weak passing game for Arizona.

Another argument in favor of trading out was the Cardinals’ overall roster weakness. With many different spots that need addressing, some analysts thought it best to aim for a variety of good young players instead of one superb one.

While this may be true, the Cardinals drafted well enough to address those positions of need even without trading their top pick. Arizona, which had two additional top-45 selections besides Harrison, drafted defensive end Darius Robinson and cornerback Max Melton. Both are touted prospects who should contribute right away.

The Cardinals had a taste of contention in 2021 but have since posted back-to-back four-win seasons. Assuming their goal is to catch up tor divisional rival San Francisco, as well as the rest of the NFL, they need star talent.

Harrison will be the star the Cardinals need to ignite their offense and chase after the NFL’s best. More picks are never a bad thing, but Arizona made the right choice by taking the safe route and moving forward with a player who could be the league’s most explosive young weapon.