NFL insider Tony Pauline has said that the Arizona Cardinals will select standout center Luke Wypler in the upcoming NFL Draft. Via Pro Football Network, Pauline writes: “I was told outright at the end of the pro day that the Cardinals will draft Wypler, and it makes sense.”
Coming out of Ohio State, Wypler is considered one of the best centers in this year’s draft. Most pundits have him as the second-best center, behind Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz. Pauline believes that Arizona could grab Wypler in the third round:
“The Cardinals own a pair of picks in the third round and could use one to select the OSU center.”
Indeed, with the impending DeAndre Hopkins trade, Arizona may end up with even more draft capital. In which case, the team could look to move up in the third round (or into the back of the second round) to draft Wypler.
Whether Arizona ends up drafting Wypler is still to be seen. Pauline accurately reported the Cardinals selecting Zaven Collins in the first round two years ago, suggesting he has strong inside information. At the very least, Pauline’s report suggests that Wypler is heavily linked with Monti Ossenfort’s Cardinals.
The report makes sense too. Had Arizona not traded their first-round pick last year, they were ready to draft Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum. In the second round, they were ready to select Cam Jurgens too before the Philadelphia Eagles took him. As such, Arizona’s recent attempts to acquire a young, talented center has been thwarted. Is 2023 the year that Arizona finally gets their guy?
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Arizona Cardinals Center Will Be Luke Wypler in 2023?
Should Arizona draft Wypler in the 2023 NFL Draft, they would likely slot him in as their starting center. As it stands, the Cardinals’ starting center is currently free agent addition Hjalte Froholdt. Froholdt spent the 2022 season on the Cleveland Browns and played a variety of center, guard and tackle. He is, however, best placed to be a flexible depth piece as he struggled quite a bit last year, allowing seven sacks. Behind Froholdt, the Cardinals only have Lecitus Smith, a sixth-round selection from 2022. He took reps as a center during camp and was thrust into starting at guard against the Los Angeles Rams this season. Smith still has a lot of developing to do but, either way, his most natural position seems to be at right guard.
Why are the Cardinals so thin at center? The main cause of Arizona’s center issue is the retirement of Rodney Hudson. While Hudson looked good in 2021, he barely played in 2022 and has effectively announced his retirement this off-season. His departure leaves the Cardinals with no clear and long-term solution at center.
With center clearly a desperate need, Wypler would slide into the starting role seamlessly. Ohio State have a tremendous track record of producing high-quality NFL linemen, and Wypler will be no different. He lacks elite athleticism but has excellent technique and is particularly impressive in pass blocking. Furthermore, Wypler is just 21 years old, allowing for a lot of time to develop at the NFL level.
It is also believed that Arizona is interested in Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round. The Cardinals had a top-30 visit with Johnson and are keen to bolster the trenches. Drafting both Wypler and Johnson would be smart and poetic.
The #1 OL in the NFL Draft #OhioState Paris Johnson Jr.
Has Top 30 meetings scheduled with:#Eagles#Bears#CardinalsPer source.
I am also told Justin Fields and Paris remain close friends and keep in touch regularly. pic.twitter.com/fOsndcLgAv
— Jared Tokarz (@JaredNFLDraft) March 8, 2023
Main Photo: Adam Cairns – USA Today Sports
