The Arizona Cardinals have a lot to think about with just days remaining before the 2026 NFL Draft. Holding the No. 3 pick, they could do a number of different things. But they have plenty of experience in this situation.
Picking in the top 10 has become somewhat familiar territory for the Cardinals. Going back to 2018, Arizona has selected in the top 10 five times and No. 1 overall once.
Their current No. 3 overall pick is their highest since selecting Kyler Murray with the first pick back in 2019. Even though Murray is now gone to the Minnesota Vikings, the Cardinals aren’t expected to find his replacement at No. 3 this year.
In fact, no one is quite sure how the team is leaning.
Cardinals Called Wildcard Team At No. 3 Overall
The latest buzz leading up to the draft is Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, who in the latest projections is selected by the New York Jets at No. 2 overall.
“I will back up what I said, I believe Bailey is still the target at No. 2 for the Jets,” ESPN’s Peter Schrager said. “It’s the production score. A 98 production score out of 100. He had arguably the greatest college football pass-rushing season we have seen, with maybe the exception of Myles Garrett in 2017 at Texas A&M, and Aidan Hutchinson a few years back with Michigan. Everyone seems to think that if you’re building a team right now and you need to hit it right on the fairway and need a guy who’s going to produce, it is David Bailey. And that seems to be the Jets at 2.”
CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones says that would then put the Cardinals in prime position to get a pass rusher of their own in Ohio State’s Arvell Reese. However, he says Arizona is a “wildcard” at No. 3.
“If it’s Bailey at No. 2, I could see Reese going at No. 3, or vice versa. It’s just not a sure thing that it’s Arizona picking there,” Jones said.
“Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort is known to be willing to make a draft-day deal. You’ll hear plenty about teams being willing to trade down in this year’s draft, and I think the Cardinals are serious contenders to do just that.
“Looking around the league, folks believe the draft begins at No. 3 and no one seems to have a very good sense of what Arizona will do. The Cardinals are the wild cards here.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently reported that the Cardinals were indeed one of five teams looking to trade down, along with the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders.
“The problem for those five is finding teams to move up,” Breer wrote.
Cardinals Could Still Shock Draft At No. 3
Reese is just one direction the Cardinals could go. Another is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
“I think… I think that Jeremiyah Love’s window starts at three,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said. “I’m not saying the Cardinals are going to take him because they have other needs.”
But that’s not all. If the Cardinals do find a suitable trade partner, they could move down, making a deal with a team like the Dallas Cowboys that could completely turn the draft upside down.
If they did trade down, it wouldn’t be the first time. They traded down to No. 6 from No. 3 back in 2023.
“The #Cardinals at #3 remain the biggest mystery for teams in the top five if they stay put, but the belief is a trade down is very much in play, similar to how Arizona operated in 2023 when they moved back from that same #3 spot, per multiple league sources,” NFL Insider Jordan Schultz said.
“Arizona added an extra first and still landed the player they coveted in OT Paris Johnson Jr., who’s now a cornerstone player for the franchise.”
Right now, just about anything is possible for the Cardinals.
But one thing is certain: they still have plenty of holes to fill on their roster.
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