The 2024 NFL Draft starts this evening (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), and both fans and bettors will be watching intently with their rooting and betting interests in mind. One of the most widely-discussed draft positions — the Cardinals at No. 4 — remains much more of a mystery than the top three picks combined.
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Caleb Williams is a stone-cold lock at first overall. Fellow Heisman winner Jayden Daniels seems almost certain to go No. 2 to the Commanders. The Patriots are also expected to select a QB, projected by most experts to go with UNC stud Drake Maye over Michigan national champ J.J. McCarthy. So, where does that leave Arizona?
Many believe Monti Ossenfort will select the best available player and top non-QB in the draft, electric wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. However, countless experts and talking heads believe Ossenfort could trade down if a rival GM on a hunt for a QB makes him an offer he can’t refuse.
Let’s discuss the possibilities at pick No. 4, go over the official NFL Draft odds on BetMGM, and explore the mock draft projections from the most heralded experts in the industry.
Who will Arizona draft with the fourth overall pick?
It’s difficult to answer this question completely without knowing what kind of phone calls Monti Ossenfort has been engaging in. If the Vikings and other potential suitors don’t knock Monti’s socks off, the pick will almost assuredly be Marvin Harrison Jr. Of course, that’s a big *if.*
Sporting News NFL expert Vinnie Iyer said in his final mock that MHJ has “dominant size, speed, hands, routes, big-play juice, and red-zone prowess. If they don’t trade down, this would be the best pick.”
MORE: Mock draft based on betting odds — projecting the top 10
Fellow SN draft expert Jacob Camenker went even further in his live mock, projecting the Cards to trade No. 4 to the Vikings:
“Yes, we are projecting a trade in this mock. Why? Because it seems likely that the Cardinals are going to trade the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — it’s just a matter of when they might do it. The Vikings are among the teams desperate to land a top quarterback and have two first-round picks — Nos. 11 and 23 respectively — which should allow them to orchestrate a trade-up. They might prefer to land Drake Maye, but he’s off the board here. McCarthy is a solid consolation prize, as his combination of arm talent and mobility should make him a nice fit in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.”
Long story short, if the Vikings package both of their first-round picks with something else of worth, Arizona could be moving down and selecting the best wideout available at No. 11. Other suitors like the Giants, Raiders, and Broncos could also swoop in with lofty deals. But if nobody wows Monti, Harrison Jr. seems like an easy call to make so Arizona can once again field an elite pass-catcher for Kyler Murray.
NFL DRAFT RANKINGS: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | EDGE
Cardinals 4th pick betting odds
All odds courtesy of BetMGM
| Player | Odds |
| Marvin Harrison Jr., WR (Ohio St.) | -275 |
| J.J. McCarthy, QB (Michigan) | +350 |
| Drake Maye, QB (UNC) | +500 |
| Malik Nabers, WR (LSU) | +1800 |
| Jayden Daniels, QB (LSU) | +2500 |
| Rome Odunze, WR (Washington) | +5000 |
| Joe Alt, OT (Notre Dame) | +6600 |
| Dallas Turner, LB (Alabama) | +15000 |
| Brock Bowers, TE (Georgia) | +15000 |
SCOUTING REPORTS: Caleb Williams | Jayden Daniels | Drake Maye
Cardinals mock draft projection
Here’s the expert consensus for who will get picked No. 4 in tonight’s NFL Draft:
| Expert | Prediction |
| Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) | Marvin Harrison Jr. |
| Jacob Camenker (Sporting News) | J.J. McCarthy* |
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | Marvin Harrison Jr. |
| Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network) | Marvin Harrison Jr. |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | Marvin Harrison Jr. |
* trade to Vikings
Give Camenker credit, as he’s the only expert on this board to go with McCarthy getting drafted fourth overall. Other expert mocks have mentioned that Ossenfort’s phones will be ringing, but the only other mocks that locked in a trade in the top five had Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers as the team trading down (Los Angeles owns pick No. 5, and obviously already has Justin Herbert at QB).
MORE 2024 NFL DRAFT: Safest picks | Riskiest picks | Top sleepers
A lot can change in a few hours on draft day, so it’s still very possible Arizona moves pick No. 4 and McCarthy gets drafted by whoever paid the price. We’re just looking at the Harrison Jr. odds continuing to shrink — from -200 two days ago to -225 yesterday and -275 today — and we’re growing more and more comfortable in MHJ coming off the board at pick four.
