The Arizona Cardinals in the first year of the Mike LaFleur era enter the 2026 offseason with a plethora of needs to address during free agency and the NFL draft.
Three such areas on the depth chart are highlighted in Pro Football Focus’s three-round mock draft released Monday, starting with selecting Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey No.3 overall.
Instead of taking an offensive lineman as many other mock drafts have projected, PFF’s Gordon McGuinness foresees the Cardinals opting to bolster the other side of the trenches. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound edge rusher earned unanimous All-American honors after leading the Big 12 with 14.5 sacks and 52 total tackles, and is regarded as one of the top overall prospects in the draft.
General manager Monti Ossenfort has invested a considerable amount of resources into defensive edge the past two years by selecting Darius Robinson No. 27 overall in 2024 and signing Josh Sweat.
However, Robinson’s lack of production and Arizona finishing third-worst in team sack total in 2025 leads McGuinness to believe Bailey can become a top-three selection.
One of the hottest debates of draft season will center on whether Bailey or Miami edge defender Rueben Bain Jr. should be the first edge defender selected. Both are excellent prospects, but Bailey gets the nod after producing a 93.8 PFF pass-rush grade in 2025.
The Cardinals’ second pick of the draft at No. 34 overall is where McGuinness has the team add to the offensive line by staying local and taking Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.
The Sun Devil of three years saved his best season for last with 14 pressures and zero sacks allowed in 860 snaps to become Second-Team All-Big 12. Inheanachor’s impressive performance during the Senior Bowl has resulted in his name being thrown around as a potential late first-round to early second-round pick, and McGuinness projects the 6-foot-6, 330-pound prospect to flank Paris Johnson Jr. at the right offensive tackle spot.
Arizona’s final selection of the mock draft at No. 65 overall sees the team select a hopeful answer to the glaring hole at quarterback in LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier.
After a promising 2024 season where he threw for more than 4,000 yards and 29 touchdowns, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound signal caller recorded only 1,927 yards and 12 touchdowns in nine games before being benched due to a lingering abdominal injury.
However, Nussmeier’s showing at the Senior Bowl, which earned him the game’s MVP, flashed the talent that made him a preseason first-round pick. Considering the Cardinals will most likely not be in a position to go quarterback at No. 3 overall, McGuinness predicts the team to take a gamble on Nussmeier turning into the answer under center at the back half of Day 2.
What about the Sun Devils and Wildcats?
Outside of Iheanachor, McGuiness has four combined Sun Devils and Wildcats being taken in the first three rounds.
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is the third wideout off the board behind Ohio State’s Carnell Tate and USC’s Malaki Lemon, but still goes No. 11 overall to the Miami Dolphins. Tyreek Hill’s release on Monday creates an opening for the two-time First-Team All-Big 12 receiver to be either a foil to or the replacement for Jaylen Waddle.
Plus, Jaylen Waddle has been the subject of trade rumors over the past year. Even if Waddle sticks around, this is a good opportunity for the Dolphins to secure another top receiving talent. Tyson earned an 89.0 PFF overall grade against man coverage and averaged 2.37 yards per route run 2025.
Five picks after Iheanachor is taken by the Cardinals, Arizona State defensive back Keith Abney II lands with the Cleveland Browns No. 39 overall.
The next round, Arizona joins in on the fun when defensive backs Genesis Smith and Treydan Stukes go back-to-back No. 97 to the Minnesota Vikings and No. 98 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hence then, the article about what do the cardinals address in pff s 3 round mock draft was published today ( ) and is available on Arizona sports ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( What do the Cardinals address in PFF’s 3-round mock draft? )
Also on site :