The 2026 NFL draft begins Thursday night with Round 1, and the Arizona Cardinals are the center of attention with the third overall pick. It is more or less where the draft has its first pivot point. The Las Vegas Raiders will select quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall.
Then, the New York Jets will select a pass rusher, either David Bailey or Arvell Reese. With the third overall pick, things get interesting. That leads to a number of questions the Cardinals have entering Round 1.
Will the Cardinals pass on a pass rusher again?This draft has two pass rushers universally viewed as top-five talents in the draft in Bailey and Reese. The Cardinals have a critical need at the defensive edge, as four players combined for 5.5 sacks at outside linebacker opposite Josh Sweat. They passed on Will Anderson in 2023, electing instead to trade back and then select tackle Paris Johnson.
Anderson is one of the best young defenders in the NFL. Will the Cardinals pass on a premium position where they have a great need again?Will the Cardinals trade their pick?It is believed that the Cardinals' top desire is to trade the third overall pick, move back to be able to take a tackle and get more draft picks. The Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints are teams believed to be eyeing pick No. 3.
The Dallas Cowboys have said they can't move into the top five. But general manager Monti Ossenfort has been a wheeler and dealer in previous drafts. Would they draft RB Jeremiyah Love?For the last week or more, the talk has shifted to the possibility of taking the top running back in the class, Jeremiyah Love, out of Notre Dame.
Taking a running back in the top three would be bold, and in the eyes of some, foolish. They already have a pretty full running back room with James Conner, Tyler Allgeier, Trey Benson and Bam Knight. Love might be the best player in the draft, so there is that debate.
Will they trade back into the first round for a QB?The Cardinals reportedly really like quarterback Ty Simpson. To get him, they might have to trade back into Round 1. They have the second pick of the second round, so will they use draft capital to get back into the first round and nab a guy they see as a franchise quarterback?Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: 2026 NFL draft: 4 questions facing Arizona Cardinals in Round 1