Kyle Dvorchak breaks down the positional needs of every NFC West team and some of the best prospects they could look to target in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Arizona Cardinals
Needs: Defensive End, Cornerback, and Defensive Tackle
Top Picks: 3, 34, and 66
Arizona had one of the weakest pass-rushes in the league last year and it won’t be fixed in a single offseason. They need at least one blue-chip player to anchor their front and could use more help across the board. At corner, both of their projected starters were ranked outside of the top-75 cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus last year.
The Cardinals likely want to trade back. A swap with the Colts, who pick fourth overall, is my current projection. If that happens, it’s hard to argue against them taking Alabama defensive end Will Anderson with their first pick. At the top of the second round, Emmanuel Forbes was a three-year starter at cornerback for Texas A&M and an early declare. He would be a good bet to come off the board in the first round if this class weren’t so deep. Later in the draft, Texas’s Moro Ojomo consistently upped his game through five years of college ball and earned a top-10 grade among interior defensive linemen by PFF in 2022.
Los Angeles Rams
Needs: Linebacker, Wide Receiver, and Cornerback
Top Picks: 36, 69, and 77
After pushing all their chips in to win a Super Bowl, the Rams are paying the price now. After trading Jalen Ramsey, they are in desperate need of new starting corners. They also need fresh faces at linebacker following the release of Bobby Wagner. Cooper Kupp is an elite WR1 but the team clearly struggled when Matthew Stafford targeted anyone other than him in 2022.
LA will also be eying Forbes with their first pick. South Carolina’s Cam Smith is another corner they could be looking at in the second round. Smith doesn’t have as strong of an athletic profile as Forbes but does have a strong resume of production with 16 pass breakups over the past two years. If the Rams are interested in a short rebuild, they could be a team willing to take a shot on LSU’s Kayshon Boutte. The former five-star recruit led LSU with 735 receiving yards as a true freshman. His sophomore season ended early because of an ankle injury and he didn’t look like the same player as a junior. Sticking in line with the rebuilding theme, Tulane linebacker Dorian Williams is lengthy, fast, and strong in coverage. If the Rams were to draft him, he would likely start in Week 1 with the caveat that the step up in competition may result in some additional growing pains.
Seattle Seahawks
Needs: Defensive End, Guard, and Wide Reciever
Top Picks: 5, 20, and 37
The Seahawks address the interior of their defensive line in free agency with Dre’Mont Jones but still need to improve their pass-rush with an elite defensive end. The interior of their offensive line, on the other hand, is still a work in progress. Seattle has an elite receiver duo, pushing this need down the list, but they still have to look for improvement at their WR3 spot.
If the top of the draft plays out as expected, the Seahawks will likely land Texas Tech pass-rusher Tyree Wilson, the consensus No. 2 EDGE player in this class. They could also take defensive tackle Jalen Carter and look for an end at pick No. 20. Clemson’s Myles Murphy would be a great addition to Seattle’s front in the middle of the first round. Steve Avila has experience at both guard and center and was scouted as a strong pass-protector throughout his time at TCU. He could be a prospect the Seahawks eye in the second round of the draft. At receiver, Oklahoma’s Marvin Mims has an elite production profile and would immediately take over slot duties in Seattle.
San Francisco 49ers
Needs: Defensive End, Cornerback, and Offensive Tackle
Top Picks: 99, 101, and 102
Nearly all of the 49ers’ ammo comes from three compensatory picks in the third round, so that’s where their focus will be heading into the draft. They lost a handful of depth pieces at defensive end in free agency and will likely look to add a potential starter opposite Nick Bosa with one of their top picks. They also need to address the loss of Mike McGlinchey at right tackle. San Francisco is more secure at cornerback but could use some extra competition for Deommodore Lenoir on the outside.
Oklahoma’s Wanya Morris has experience at both tackle positions but most recently started on the right side, giving him an easy transition to the 49ers, who would also ask him to play right tackle. He is still developing his technique but has shown steady improvement over the years. At corner, Stanford’s Kyu Blu Kelly has four years of experience as a starter and could immediately offer some pushback on Lenoir’s role. The EDGE class is deep but by the end of the third round, every prospect has their fair share of flaws. K.J. Henry, a former five-star recruit, has the physical tools to be a playmaker at the next level but only earned a full-time role as a fifth-year senior. The hope when drafting him would be that the San Francisco staff could get more out of him than Clemson ever did.
