%20Francis%20Mauigoa%20AP%204.8.26.jpg)
The 2026 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, as the annual event begins on Thursday, April 23 in Pittsburgh.
The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a tough season and are selecting very high in the draft. With two picks in the top 34, will the Cardinals be able to accelerate their rebuild under new head coach Mike LaFleur?
Below, we’ll put together a Cardinals 2026 NFL mock draft for the first three rounds. Plus, some 2026 NFL Draft predictions can be made on PrizePicks.
Make your picks for the 2026 NFL Draft on PrizePicks now.
{{nfl_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Cardinals 2026 NFL Mock Draft
The Cardinals suffered through a third consecutive losing season under now-former head coach Jonathan Gannon. After a 3-13 campaign in 2025, Arizona finds itself selecting third overall, the highest selection the organization has made since selecting QB Kyler Murray with the No. 1 pick in 2019.
It’s possible that the Cardinals could trade back if the right offer presents itself. After all, for a rebuilding franchise like Arizona, acquiring extra draft choices wouldn’t be a bad idea if the team has several high-end players on its board.
For the purpose of this exercise, we'll assume that the Cardinals are staying put.
Here’s a list of Arizona’s selections in the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft:
- Round 1: Pick 3
- Round 2: Pick 34
- Round 3: Pick 65
Who could the Cardinals target with their first three selections? Let’s dive into how the team might operate with our Cardinals 2026 NFL mock draft.
All 2026 NFL Draft payout data is from PrizePicks Team Picks. It's live as of writing but is subject to change.
Round 1, Pick 3: Francis Mauigoa (OT, Miami)
The Cardinals should have a ton of options with the No. 3 pick. If Arizona ends up hanging onto the pick, shoring up the offensive line makes a ton of sense.
Arizona allowed 59 sacks last season, the fifth-most in the NFL. Miami OT Francis Mauigoa could go a long way towards anchoring the offensive line for years to come.
At 6’6" and 315 pounds, Mauigoa has all the makings of a dominant and powerful tackle. He thrives as a run blocker and earned a 79.4 run block grade in 2025 (23rd in the country), according to Pro Football Focus.
Mauigoa excels at the point of attack and uses his strength to bully the opposition.
The Hurricanes ended up being a strong rushing team in 2025, finishing fourth in the ACC in TDs (28). A lot of that had to do with the push that Mauigoa consistently was getting at the line of scrimmage; he consistently opened up holes for RB Mark Fletcher and company.
The Cardinals did sign former Atlanta Falcons RT Elijah Wilkinson to a two-year deal in the offseason, but a stud OT could remain a priority as the organization searches for a franchise QB.
Mauigoa has the talent to start right away at RT and could give Arizona a bookend piece for the next several years.
Cardinals OL First Position Drafted: Yes 1.35x | No 1.01x
Make Francis Mauigoa NFL Draft predictions for real money on PrizePicks.
Round 2, Pick 34: Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
The Cardinals made a big change this offseason by releasing Murray after seven seasons. Arizona does have veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II on its roster, but selecting a QB still may still be a good idea.
If Ty Simpson ends up being available at No. 34, perhaps the Cardinals pounce on the Alabama signal-caller. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cardinals and New York Jets are the two teams that are the most interested in potentially drafting Simpson.
In his lone season as Alabama’s starting QB, Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards in addition to 28 TDs compared to just 5 INTs.
Simpson is the definition of a pocket passer. He remains calm and can climb in the pocket if he needs to. The Crimson Tide standout doesn’t have elite arm strength, yet maintains solid enough distance and velocity to get the job done.
In a four-game span in SEC play against No. 5 Georgia, No. 16 Vanderbilt, No. 14 Missouri, and No. 11 Tennessee, Simpson completed 69.0% of his passes for 1,069 yards, 9 TDs, and 1 INT.
If the Cardinals were to pick Simpson, he very well could sit behind Brissett and/or Minshew as a rookie and hone his craft before taking over in 2027.
Cardinals to Draft Ty Simpson: Yes 2x | No 1.75x
Make Ty Simpson NFL Draft predictions for real money on PrizePicks.
Round 3, Pick 65: Keyron Crawford (EDGE, Auburn)
It’s safe to say that the Cardinals' defense struggled to slow down its opponents in 2025, registering just 30 sacks (third-fewest). Grabbing an effective pass rusher in the early rounds should be one of the team’s top priorities in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Auburn EDGE Keyron Crawford is an underrated prospect that excels at getting to the QB. As a senior, he registered 36 tackles (28 solo), 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 INT for the Tigers.
Crawford normally lines up as a stand-up pass rusher and uses his speed to get to the point of attack. He could be a 3-4 OLB at the NFL level, especially considering his size at 6’4" and 253 pounds.
According to Pro Football Focus, Crawford recorded 43 pressures in 2025, ranking 47th out of 852 edge rushers in the nation.
Crawford does need to improve his awareness when defending the run. Still, upside in terms of what he brings to the table, and the Cardinals could really use some help opposite Josh Sweat.
Make Keyron Crawford NFL Draft predictions for real money on PrizePicks.
{{nfl_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make 2026 NFL Draft Picks on PrizePicks
The Cardinals could elect to address the offense early in the 2026 NFL Draft. Will Arizona make a splash and use some capital on some highly regarded prospects, including a potential franchise QB?
Don’t wait until draft night — make your 2026 NFL Draft picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
On PrizePicks Team Picks, the possibilities are plentiful. You can make predictions on specific 2026 NFL Draft picks, team selections, position groups, and more. Additionally, the NFL tab is already open with Super Bowl LXI winner picks available.
Keep it right here with the Playbook for continued NFL predictions, picks, news, and analysis all year long.
