With the first few waves of free agency in the rear view, the Cardinals are in the midst of their annual draft prep. GM Steve Keim will lay the groundwork to bring in a new class of rookies to supplement the roster already built and forge a direction upon which a few more free agents are likely to be signed.
Here is the third position group breakdown.
Draft primer: Running Backs
Players under contract: James Conner,Eno Benjamin, Jonathan Ward,Jaylen Samuels
Need: Medium
The Cardinals' situation: James Conner arrived in Arizona last offseason on a one-year prove-it deal, impressed in 2021 with his second-career Pro Bowl selection and earned himself a nice contract to remain in the desert. Conner will handle the main running back responsibilities next year after Chase Edmonds departed for Dolphins this offseason. Conner's 2022 tag-team partner in the backfield is yet to be determined.
The draft class: Kenneth Walker III (Michigan State) and Breece Hall (Iowa State) headline the running back class. Both are projected second-round picks, according to several league draft experts. With five picks in the last two rounds of the draft, the Cardinals might be able to find another back -- like Texas A&M's Isaiah Spiller or Arizona's State's Rachaad White may be available later -- similar to how they picked up Benjamin in the seventh round in 2020.
The conclusion: The Cardinals have several more pressing needs than adding a backup back. Keim could draft a running back to compete with Eno Benjamin and Jaylen Samuels for the job, although the Cardinals might still sign someone on the free-agent market. Chiefs' RB Darrel Williams visited the Cardinals' facility last week.
Images of the top running back prospects heading into the draft.
Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs in for a touchdown against Purdue during the first half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Iowa State running back Breece Hall (28) runs on the field during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Florida running back Dameon Pierce runs past the Colorado State defense on his way to a 68-yard touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
BYU running back Tyler Allgeier carries the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Washington State, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in Pullman, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Georgia's James Cook breaks away during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. (4) runs for a first down as Cincinnati linebacker Deshawn Pace reaches from behind to tackle him during the first half of the Cotton Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. Alabama won 27-6. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams (23) runs in for a touchdown against Purdue during the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Cincinnati running back Jerome Ford participates in a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
South Carolina running back ZaQuandre White, top, pushes past Missouri linebacker Blaze Alldredge, bottom, during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) runs for yardage against Sam Houston State during the first half of the NCAA college FCS Football Championship in Frisco, Texas, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Arizona State running back Rachaad White (3) against UNLV during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Texas A&M running back Isaiah Spiller scores a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Missouri Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
North Carolina State's Zonovan Knight (7) runs with the ball against Furman during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Florida International's D'vonte Price (24) jumps over Texas Tech's Reggie Pearson Jr. (22) during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)
Zamir White runs football drills during Georgia's Pro Day on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Missouri running back Tyler Badie carries the ball against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
North Carolina running back Ty Chandler (19) prances into the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia State in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Michigan running back Hassan Haskins (25) celebrates a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Ohio State in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Michigan won 42-27. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Utah running back TJ Pledger (5) runs the ball in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/George Frey)
Mississippi running back Jerrion Ealy (9) sprints towards the end zone on his way to a four-yard touchdown run during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Liberty in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
UTSA running back Sincere McCormick (3) runs upfield against Southern Mississippi during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Hattiesburg, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Washington State running back Max Borghi carries the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against BYU, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in Pullman, Wash. BYU won 21-19. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Oregon's CJ Verdell during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Chris Pietsch)
