A little more than 24 hours remain before the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, and speculation around what the Arizona Cardinals will do on Day 1 continues to run rampant.
The latest guess from ESPN’s Peter Schrager sees the Cardinals opt for selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall before trading for the No. 32 overall pick and taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in his final mock draft published Wednesday.
Schrager has Arizona sending Nos. 34 and 183 to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for No. 32.
The analyst’s new mock draft is a sizable pivot from his last exercise on April 7 where he predicted the Cardinals taking Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. It also involves two prospects that have been frequently associated with the franchise over the past month.
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Chatter around the Cardinals making the 2025 unanimous All-American a top-three selection has only picked up since Schrager himself stated that Love is a “wild card” to watch for on April 7.
Nearly two weeks later, Schrager’s ESPN colleague Adam Schefter discussed the growing belief within league circles of Arizona sticking and picking the running back.
The selection would come with concerns about potentially making him one of the highest-paid running backs in the league behind an offensive line that struggled in run blocking last season.
However, Love has also more than proved that he can be a game-changing weapon in the backfield with 2,497 yards and 35 touchdowns on the ground combined in his last two seasons at Notre Dame.
This could be a trade-down spot, and I believe Arizona is listening. Teams like the Chiefs and Saints could have interest in getting into position to take Reese. But I also think the Cardinals could just take Love. Again, forget about positional value this year — most people see him as the top player in the draft, and he could be a jolt to the Cards’ offense. Love moves the needle for a team trying to get back in the mix in a crowded NFC West.
As for Simpson, Alabama product threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns to five interceptions in 2025. He started just 15 games across four seasons at the collegiate level.
NFL Mock Draft Database projects Simpson to be selected around the No. 32 pick, and analysts like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predict the Cardinals will be the team to take a chance on the signal caller.
Arizona met with Simpson at both the NFL Combine and on a top 30 visit.
If Schrager’s projected trade were to come to fruition, the Cardinals could add an intriguing option to the quarterback room at even value in the midst of an offseason shaped by the release of Kyler Murray and incumbent starter Jacoby Brissett asking for a contract extension.
I took you all the way to the last pick of the mock draft, but yes, I have Simpson going in Round 1. To move back two spots, the Seahawks would happily add a sixth-round pick in a year when they have only four total selections. And the Cardinals would happily give up that late-rounder to (a) get Simpson and (b) get him with a fifth-year option. Simpson is slated to be in the green room at the draft, and though it might be a long night, I think he will come off the board on Day 1.
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