NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks released a new mock draft of the first round. The Cardinals have the third overall pick, and he has them going with an offensive lineman.
The Senior Bowl was last week, and the Arizona Cardinals now have a new head coach. We can now begin to firmly look ahead toward the NFL draft.
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks released a new mock draft of the first round.
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The Cardinals have the third overall pick, and he has them going with an offensive lineman.
Arizona Cardinals, Round 1, pick No. 3: Utah OL Spencer Fano
The Cardinals must determine if Kyler Murray remains the franchise quarterback. If his time in the desert is indeed done, as many have speculated, the lack of QB depth in the 2026 draft class could prompt the team to look elsewhere for help at the game’s most important position. In this case, Arizona adds a foundational piece to its struggling offensive line, which contributed to a 38.7% pressure allowed rate — the fourth-highest mark in the league in 2025, per Next Gen Stats.
This pick makes sense. The Cardinals need to figure out the quarterback situation, but they won’t likely be selecting one in the first round. They have questions at as many as four starting spots on the offensive line, so landing Fano to lock down right tackle would be a great plan to pair with Paris Johnson.
However, while the pick makes sense, it would mean breaking from a three-year trend. The Cardinals have only selected players from the SEC and Big Ten in the first and second rounds in three years with Monti Ossenfort as general manager.
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Knowing that, someone like linebacker Arvell Reese out of Ohio State makes sense, but he goes second overall in these projections.
Ossenfort obviously could break from his tradition, but it will be something to watch as we approach the draft in the mweeks to come.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals land Utah OL Spencer Fano
Source: Utah News