NFL Network's Mike Mayock said Thursday that Oklahoma's freakishly athleticLane Johnson might have the most upside the draft guru has ever seen in an offensive tackle.
NFL '13 DRAFT XTRA
Follow on your smartphone or tablet for exclusive content including live video from Radio City Music Hall.
Could Johnson end up in Arizona?
Despite head coach Bruce Arians' head-scratching public praise of incumbents Levi Brown and Bobby Massie, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim tells NFL Network's Michelle Beisner that he's hoping one of the draft's "big three" tackles falls to No. 7 overall.
The question is whether any of those tackles will be on the board past the first five picks. Keim admits there's a good chance all three will be gone. The Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions both need offensive tackles, and NFL.com's Albert Breer points out Johnson would be an ideal fit for Eagles head coach Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense.
Despite the tackle need, Keim is more likely to trade down than to package picks for a move into the top five. Per Beisner, the top seven players on the Cardinals' draft board have been graded within a decimal point of each other.
Keim is adamant about taking the best player available, insisting he won't leave an "elite" player on the board to select merely a "good" offensive lineman. We won't know until the Cardinals are on the clock if they're truly prepared to pass on a top guard, such as North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper or Alabama's Chance Warmack, for a pass rusher or defensive back.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.