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The desert thought it found life in the 2019 NFL Draft, but will it make a change at the most important position in next year’s draft venue?
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Kyler Murray, a native Texan, meant everything to the Allen (Texas) Eagles in high school.
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He guided the program to three state championships, becoming a highly sought after five-star prospect.
Murray went from being arguably the greatest high school signal-caller in the Lone Star State to grabbing college football by storm. The 5-foot-10 dynamo grabbed several individual accolades in the 2018 season during his time at Oklahoma — including a Heisman Memorial Trophy and first-team All-American honors. Murray has been selected to two Pro Bowls (2020, 2021) in the National Football League and won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020; however, Arizona has not seen the return on its investment in the former No. 1 overall selection. His less than ideal size made NFL prognosticators apprehensive about projecting Murray as the first overall pick, but the Cardinals saw hope. A hope it had not seen since Kurt Warner led the franchise on back-to-back playoff appearances in 2008 and 2009, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 2008.
Murray has been plagued by several injuries and the latest one, a foot issue in week five versus the Tennessee Titans, bumped him to injured reserve for the rest of the season. He’s dealt with knee, foot, ankle, and hamstring injuries in his first seven years in the league, but inconsistency with his health is not the only problem. Murray had a young, sharp offensive mind as his head coach — Kliff Kingsbury — in his first four seasons, but he could not mesh with him. In a division with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks, Arizona needs a leader at quarterback to guide its offense to being elite and navigate it a mainstay in the postseason. The Cardinals, who are 3-10, will be one of the top programs seeking for a marquee quarterback in the NFL Draft.
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Dante Moore (Oregon), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), and Drew Allar (Penn State) are among the top collegiate signal callers entering the draft. Arizona needs to address its offensive line, yet its future at quarterback is more important.
We will see what happens with Murray moving forward.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @CoachingMSmith.
