Cardinals Could Throw a Wrench Into Round 1 of the NFL Draft

It's all but assumed Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft next week.

And the New York jets are reportedly down to either Texas Tech edge-rusher David Bailey or Ohio State edge-rusher Arvell Reese for the No. 2 overall pick, meaning the real guess work starts with the Arizona Cardinals, who pick third overall.

The Cardinals have a number of needs, and the team realistically could pick from four or five different positions with its first-round pick. That unpredictability is why NFL insider Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports believes Arizona is the real wild card of Round 1.

In fact, Jones believes the Cardinals are just as likely to pick at 3 as they are to trade the selection.

"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 wrote. "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."

Teams that have been linked to possible trades up into the top 10 include the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Minnesota Vikings. If Arizona moves back, it could shake up the rest of the top 10, and possibly the entire first round.

The Cardinals have also been linked to Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson - a marriage that seems more plausible after the news that Cards QB Jacoby Brissett isn't attending the team's offseason workout program as he seeks a contract extension.

Taking at Simpson would be one heck of a reach at 3, and a move that would open the team to intense criticism.

But if Arizona trades out of the third overall pick and moves back in Round 1, Simpson could be in play later in the round.

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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 4:50 PM.