The NFL Draft Combine kicks off this week from Indianapolis.
There’s no shortage of prospects for the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the NFL to keep tabs on, with 319 invited for the pre-draft work.
But who stands out when it comes to the Cardinals and their 2026 needs under first-time head coach Mike LaFleur?
A look at some of the intriguing prospects who could and should be on Arizona’s draft board in 2026:
The no-brainers up top
When it comes to the Cardinals’ biggest needs in the first round, offensive line and pass rusher stand out above the rest, especially given the options.
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The Cardinals’ offensive line was roughed up in a big way last year, taking a big step backwards after two years of improvement. The Klayton Adams departure didn’t help, nor did the injuries and inconsistent play throughout the trenches.
Paris Johnson Jr. and Hjalte Froholdt feel like the only locks at this point. Jon Gaines II and Isaiah Adams showed improvement late but need to do so on a much more consistent basis to command left and right guard.
As for right tackle, the door is wide open.
When it comes to the combine, two names stand out above the rest in Utah’s Spencer Fano and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa.
While the pair of offensive tackles have been commonly linked to the Cardinals’ No. 3 overall pick this offseason, it’s Mauigoa who currently holds the top spot in the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker tally.
They wouldn’t be the sexiest picks at No. 3 overall but either one could give Arizona a concrete starting option for years to come opposite Johnson.
Mauigoa is coming off an All-American campaign where he allowed just two sacks and four QB hits in 2026. He didn’t allow a sack or a QB hit in any of Miami’s four College Football Playoff games.
Fano, meanwhile, allowed just five pressures and zero sacks in 14 games played.
However the draft board shakes out, both players will have an NFL home after Day 1.
The same goes for Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. As NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said last week, there’s really no wrong answer for the Cardinals at No. 3.
“Particularly at the top, the big debate is these three guys, with Arvell Reese and how you evaluate him. I like him on the edge. He’s obviously spent a little more time off the ball at Ohio State, but a really dynamic player,” Jeremiah said.
“David Bailey provides a little bit more certainty just in terms of you’ve seen him play out there. You’ve seen the production. I think it’s pretty easy to see that translate and is why teams are going to have him as the top guy. And then Reuben Bain is more of an identity pick who just plays so hard and so physical. The dimensions aren’t going to be ideal in terms of the length, but there’s more that he brings than just what shows up on the stat sheet.”
While Reese is getting more love than the other two when it comes to the Cardinals’ No. 3 overall pick, would we be in for another “where should he play?” situation like what was seen with Haason Reddick or Zaven Collins? It’s at the very least a thought to keep in mind.
If the Cardinals are going to go the Reese route, they must have a plan BEFORE drafting him.
As for Bailey and Bain, the duo presents more traditional pass rushers. They’ve also got the stats to back it up.
Bailey is coming off a career year where he led the FBS in sacks with 14.5 while also pacing the Big 12 in tackles for loss with 19.5 in 16 games played.
Bain wasn’t too far from Bailey’s gawdy marks behind 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss across 16 games last year.
I am enjoying the Rueben Bain film pic.twitter.com/Q4IOUjfqSt
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 22, 2026
Sure, there are going to concerns with every prospect, but when it comes to this grouping, any of these prospects warrant a top-five pick and would move the needle in the right direction for the Cardinals.
A strong NFL Combine should only solidify that thinking.
Worth the risk?
Offensive line and pass rusher sit among the two biggest needs for the Cardinals.
There is also something to say about taking the best player available. Might they include Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love or Ohio State’s Caleb Downs?
Outside of the top group, these three names stand out as potential options for Arizona in the first round. They would also come with quite a few questions.
Heading down the running back route with Love would appear to spell the end of the James Conner era in Arizona. It would also put pressure on Trey Benson to bounce back from his season-ending knee injury.
Going running back in the first round can be risky and would mean passing on OL or pass rusher. The decision would also give LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett another offensive playmaker, who rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns in 12 games in 2025, to work into the equation.
Then there’s Downs.
While safety has been a position group largely locked into place with Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson running the show, the latter is headed for free agency this offseason.
The Cardinals appear to have options at safety regardless of where Thompson ends up. Dadrion “Rabbit” Taylor-Demerson should be next in line, with Kitan “Bug” Crawford also in the mix.
But landing the two-time All-American, who is fresh off of 68 tackles (five for loss), two interceptions and a sack in 14 games last year, could help solidify Arizona’s secondary for years to come.
“Everything he does, he kind of does right,” Jeremiah said. “He can cover tight ends and do that easily. He’s an outstanding force player, so you’ve got someone on the field who can be a real reliable and firm tackler. Takes great angles. I think he can be a communicator back there as well. Just not as much playmaking.”
The local flavor
While adding Jordyn Tyson would give the Cardinals a legit trio of wide-receiving options alongside Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., the pick is too redundant for what Arizona needs to accomplish this draft.
He’s definitely a name to keep an eye on this draft cycle, just not for the Cardinals (sorry, ASU Cardinals fans).
That doesn’t mean there still couldn’t be some ASU flavor added to Arizona’s mix in offensive tackle Max Iheanachor and cornerback Keith Abney II.
If the Cardinals opt for a pass rusher in the first round, coming back around to Iheanachor at No. 34 overall in the second round wouldn’t hurt by any means.
Allowing just 14 pressures and zero sacks across 860 snaps last year, the big man doubled down with a strong performance at this year’s Senior Bowl.
He’s teetering between a late Day 1 and early Day 2 pick. How much might his combine showing impact that thinking?
Abney is right around that No. 34 pick, too, with ESPN’s Field Yates sending the cornerback to the Cleveland Browns at No. 39 in his most recent mock draft.
Arizona has a good foundation of cornerbacks led by Garrett Williams and Will Johnson. Denzel Burke made his name known last year, too, by pacing the team in interceptions with three. Max Melton is another option, though will need to get back to consistent defensive reps after last year.
That being said, more competition wouldn’t hurt at the position.
What about a QB?
Let’s get this out of the way right now:
Barring a chaotic trade up, the Cardinals are not drafting Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
But just because Arizona is out of the Mendoza sweepstakes, doesn’t mean it’s out entirely on bringing in a rookie signal caller.
That’s where Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Miami’s Carson Beck and Penn State’s Drew Allar enter the equation.
Much like Iheanachor, Simpson has been viewed as a later Day 1 or early Day 2 pick for most of the offseason. One knock on Simpson has been his experience, having just 31 starts across four seasons.
He marks the second-best signal caller in the draft behind Mendoza after throwing for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns on 64.5% throwing in 15 games last year.
Simpson could easily see his name shoot up draft boards with a strong combine showing. He could also slip even further if he doesn’t rise to the occasion.
“I think he probably has the most at stake between where we are today and when we get to the draft. He’s someone who I think most teams will have as the second quarterback. It’s not so much of, is he No. 2? It’s how high of a pick is he worthy of? Is he worthy of a first-round pick? And when you have the limited number of starts that he has, teams are going to have to get comfortable with that.”
A week at the combine could potentially help in that regard.
As for Beck and Allar, they make up two later-round options Arizona could take a flier on.
Beck is coming off his sixth college season where he threw for 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns to 12 interceptions on 72.4% passing during Miami’s run to the national championship game.
Allar, meanwhile, turned in an abbreviated 2025 due to an ankle injury. He appeared in six games, completing 64.8% of his throws for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns to three picks.
When is the NFL Draft Combine?
The combine kicked off Monday and runs through March 2 as prospects filter in with their respective position groups.
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort (11:15 a.m.) and LaFleur (noon) are expected to speak with reporters on Tuesday.
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