Arizona
NFL Draft: What if Arizona Cardinals don't land Marvin Harrison Jr.?
Everything lines up pretty well when it comes down to the Arizona Cardinals and Marvin Harrison Jr. joining forces at the 2024 NFL Draft this April.
The franchise, which holds the No. 4 overall pick, is in search of its next cornerstone and from every indication, Harrison could be just that for Arizona.
It almost seems too good to be true.
While most analysts see Harrison in the desert, anything can happen come draft night, including the wideout heading somewhere not named Arizona when the first round is all said and done.
But just because Harrison could potentially be off the board when the Cardinals are on the clock doesn’t mean Arizona can’t walk away with an impact player (or more).
A look at some of the non-Harrison avenues Arizona could traverse this April:
The Arizona Cardinals trade the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
For the Harrison-or-bust line of thinkers, this option probably best suits you.
And honestly, it really comes down to what the Chicago Bears do with the first overall pick.
Despite 2021 first-round pick and quarterback Justin Fields currently on the roster, there’s a good chance the Bears reset at signal caller with USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. It would also mean a reset in terms of paying a quarterback on a rookie contract as opposed to having to hand Fields a contract extension not that long down the road.
Chicago going quarterback would mean Harrison is one step closer to becoming a Cardinal, with both the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots in desperate need of signal callers.
But if Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and Fields believe they can make it work in the Windy City, that could spell the end of the Harrison sweepstakes for the Cardinals.
What better way to build confidence with Fields than by giving him a 6-foot-4 ball magnet?
If that scenario plays out — there’s obviously still a way for the first three picks to be QB-QB-QB if Chicago decides to trade the first overall pick (again) to a team in need of a signal caller — than all eyes turn to the handful of teams looking to move up to land their franchise quarterback.
They include the Atlanta Falcons (No. 8), Minnesota Vikings (No. 11), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13) and Denver Broncos (No. 12).
Much like we saw last year, moving down into that range off a top 5 pick would likely ensure not only a first-round swap and more in 2024, but an additional first-rounder in 2025 with potential for extra picks.
It all comes down to how general manager Monti Ossenfort cooks if given this scenario.
The Cardinals still find their next No. 1 wide receiver at No. 4 overall
Missing out on Harrison might sting, but the potential consolation prize at wide receiver shouldn’t be anything to scoff at.
After Harrison, LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze are the next best options at wideout for the Cardinals if they decide to go that route at No. 4 overall.
Standing over 6-foot — Odunze (6-foot-3) holds a slight height advantage over Nabers (6-foot-1) — either one of the wide receivers would give quarterback Kyler Murray another big target in a pass-catching group that is currently headlined by Michael Wilson, Trey McBride and Rondale Moore with Hollywood Brown an unrestricted free agent and Greg Dortch an exclusive rights free agent.
Both Nabers and Odunze posted big years in 2023.
Across 13 games, Nabers averaged 17.6 yards per catch on his way to 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns on 89 receptions.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein’s NFL comparison for Nabers is Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson.
Zierlein writes:
He’s a bouncy leaper with the athletic ability to make the impossible catches possible. He tucks away accurate throws and displays the toughness and play strength to fight for tight-window victories over the middle. Nabers will need to address his tendency to track and play deep throws with finesse, or his early advantages will turn into 50/50 battles.
Odunze meanwhile was a big part in Washington’s national championship run, reeling in 92 balls for 1,640 yards and 13 scores. He added another touchdown and 37 yards on two carries on top of averaging 17.8 yards per catch.
When it comes down to Zierlein’s NFL comparison of Odunze, Cardinals great Larry Fitzgerald comes to mind.
A team captain with good size and elite ball skills, Odunze consistently dominated his competition. … He shines in all aspects of ball skills, including positioning, body control, hand strength, timing and mid-air adjustments. He has a tendency to cruise through routes rather than working with attention to detail and pacing. He was a decorated high school sprinter, so speed should not be an issue in the pros. … Elite ball skills are often the secret sauce for top NFL receivers, so it should not surprise if Odunze is a Day 1 starter who becomes a top-flight WR1.
The Cardinals bookend the future with an offensive tackle in the first round
You know where else the Cardinals could potentially strike gold? At offensive tackle.
With veteran starting left tackle D.J. Humphries likely out for the majority of the regular season — there’s also the potential the team moves on from the lineman altogether in a cap-saving move — adding more talent to the position could go a long way both now and in the future.
As it stands, Paris Johnson Jr. figures to be the lead candidate to slide over to left tackle, with veteran Kelvin Beachum expected to take over on the right side.
Johnson is expected to be a Cardinals cornerstone for years to come, especially after playing every snap as a rookie. Beachum, however, is nearing the end of his career and is entering Year 13. Arizona would be wise to find its next bookend of the future.
Luckily for the Cardinals, it seems like tackles are growing on trees this NFL Draft, though there’s still two names consisntely projected above the rest in Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper writes:
At 6-foot-6, 319 pounds, Fashanu has the physical traits and footwork of an elite lineman. He could have been a first-rounder in last year’s draft if he had entered. He allowed one sack in 21 career starts for the Nittany Lions. He still hasn’t come close to reaching his ceiling.
Alt on the other hand was Kiper’s “definition of a stalwart on the left side of Notre Dame’s line, where he started 33 games. He gave up just two sacks over the past two seasons.”
Added protection up front is never a bad thing.
The Cardinals find their next pass rusher with their top 5 pick
You know what else the Cardinals could use more of next season? A more consistent pass rush.
One way to do that is by adding a talent like Alabama’s Dallas Turner to the fold.
Turner is coming off 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss across 14 games played in 2023.
Zierlein believes Turner has the traits required to be an impactful NFL pass rusher.
Turner’s first-step quickness and elite closing burst are important building blocks, but he still needs to work on his process from Point A to Point B. He hasn’t learned to create the space and angles needed to consistently attack the edges, but that should come with better hand development and a more diversified approach. A team would be wise to widen him out and allow him a better runway to ignite his burst and overwhelm tackles with his speed.
Arizona’s pass rush, which ranked 30th in sacks last season, was led by Dennis Gardeck and his six sacks in 2023. Victor Dimukeje and BJ Ojulari weren’t far behind with four sacks apiece. In his first season moving to full-time OLB, Zaven Collins chipped in 3.5.
Help is needed at the position and Turner at the very least would give Arizona another option to plug into the rotation, though some could consider Turner at fourth overall a bit of a reach.
“Not in my opinion (is there a pass-rushing prospect worthy of the No. 4 pick). If you’re going to make an argument for anyone, it’s Turner, because the traits and the tools,” Miller told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke earlier this month.
Arizona
New tractors help University of Arizona modernize farming in Yuma
Arizona
Founding Fathers-themed ice cream parlor makes Arizona debut
Don’t miss these 5 metro Phoenix hidden gem restaurants
From Ethiopian cuisine to mesquite-grilled chicken, check out these five restaurants in metro Phoenix that have flown under the radar for too long.
A former candidate for Gilbert mayor has opened the first Arizona location of a Founding Fathers-themed ice cream shop in Chandler.
Brooker’s Founding Flavors Ice Cream is a Utah-based ice cream shop centered around the early history of the United States. Female employees scoop cones in bonnets and dresses; male employees wear tricorn hats and coats. The ice cream flavors have names like Martha Washington’s Colonial Cotton Candy and Alexander Hamilton’s Not Throwing Away My Scoop.
On a trip to Utah in 2019, Arizonan Shane Krauser went to a Brooker’s and was blown away.
“I walked out of that, called my wife Janelle and I said, ‘We will own one of these,’” Krauser said.
The couple had no previous restaurant experience, but decided to open up the chain’s first location outside of Utah, choosing a storefront near the intersection of Chandler Boulevard and Dobson Road. The store opened on June 6.
Krauser loves how the shop creates conversation among customers about American history.
“I love history. I love the Founding Fathers. I love the ideals of America,” Krauser said. “It’s an amazing concept.”
Opening Founding Flavors isn’t political, it’s a ‘labor of love’
Krauser is a retired lawyer turned motivational speaker who addresses topics including “freedom, the proper role of government and the parameters of the U.S. and state constitutions,” according to his website.
In 2024, Krauser ran for Gilbert mayor, but withdrew his candidacy amid scrutiny over involvement with a past investment fraud scheme and his son’s appearance in a video with the Gilbert Goons, The Arizona Republic reported.
Although the shop plans to host events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S., such as one for Constitution Day in September, Krauser said he does not see the ice cream store as related to his political career.
“The mayoral run was something to be involved in politically. This is more of a labor of love,” Krauser said. “This is not political in nature at all. It’s an ice cream shop with an American theme.”
Details: 2560 W. Chandler Blvd. #3, Chandler. brookersicecream.com, 480-881-6100.
Reach the reporter at reia.li@gannett.com. Follow @reia_reports on Instagram.
Arizona
Wife turns in Arizona startup CEO husband over fraud allegations
Arizona CEO accused of stealing millions
Jeffrey Gottfurcht, the now-former CEO of Mesa startupo Cyber Dive, is accused of stealing at least $1.5 million from the company to buy gifts for his girlfriend. FOX 10’s Brian Webb has more.
PHOENIX – An Arizona chief executive officer is facing major legal trouble after being accused of embezzling money from his company.
What we know:
Cyber Dive is an Arizona startup that sells child-safety smartphones, designed so parents can monitor their children’s online activity. The company is run out of a business complex in Mesa, but the startup is barely hanging on after the CEO allegedly took off with the money to spend on his girlfriend.
Jeffrey Gottfurcht is facing federal embezzlement charges. He stands accused of lying and doctoring documents to trick investors before running off with at least $1.5 million.
On the company Facebook page, Gottfurcht claimed to be the first rheumatoid arthritis sufferer to scale Mount Everest.
Local perspective:
Red flags first popped up at the company on Feb. 13, with strange occurrences coming into the office.
Derek Jackson, who co-founded Cyber Dive, recalled the moment the discrepancies came to light.
“They mentioned to me something about getting routing documentation for funds from an acquisition deal,” Jackson recounted. “They said ‘where are those documents?’ He said he was gonna send him at 3 p.m. today, and my response was what deal are you talking about?”
Dig deeper:
Court documents show Gottfurcht used the money to buy his escort girlfriend a Lamborghini, a four-bedroom house in Miami, and a diamond ring. The girlfriend has posted videos on TikTok, but her identity is hidden because she has not been charged with a crime.
When asked to confirm if Gottfurcht purchased the car, the diamond ring, and the house, Jackson responded, “Yes. So it gets deep. Yes, it gets very deep.”
“It’s a huge gut punch,” Jackson said regarding the impact on the startup. “I think it’s been challenging to stay motivated to keep the company going because when this happened, Jeff drained the account to zero.”
At the Cyber Dive headquarters, half the workforce was let go. Jackson is now serving as the interim chief executive officer, looking for new investors to keep the lights on while coming to grips with the loss of a partner and friend.
Jackson stated that the total amount of money taken is closer to $4 million.
“I was in the army. I was an intelligence officer. I was targeting people in ISIS. I don’t even hate terrorists as much as I hate Jeff right now,” Jackson said.
The other side:
No one answered the door at the Paradise Valley home Gottfurcht shares with his wife and three children. Court paperwork shows that his wife is seeking a divorce, and helped turn her husband in to the authorities.
What’s next:
Gottfurcht was previously arrested in Scottsdale in May over allegations of domestic violence. He remains behind bars on a $250,000 bond.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Derek Jackson, and from court documents.
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