ryknyse'S MOCK DRAFT
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ryknyse'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 21, 2026

Cardinals

  • ryknyse DRAFTING FOR THE
    Cardinals
Draft Selections
David Bailey Head Shot
PICK: 3 RND: 1 (ARI)
David Bailey
LB-EDGE Texas Tech
Emmanuel Pregnon Head Shot
PICK: 34 RND: 2 (ARI)
Emmanuel Pregnon
OG Oregon
Dontay Corleone Head Shot
PICK: 40 RND: 2 (ARI)
Dontay Corleone
DT Cincinnati
Blake Miller Head Shot
PICK: 65 RND: 3 (ARI)
Blake Miller
OT Clemson
Nicholas Singleton Head Shot
PICK: 104 RND: 4 (ARI)
Nicholas Singleton
RB Penn State
Caden Curry Head Shot
PICK: 109 RND: 4 (ARI)
Caden Curry
DE Ohio State
Ar'maj Reed-Adams Head Shot
PICK: 130 RND: 4 (ARI)
Ar'maj Reed-Adams
OG Texas A&M
Malik Benson Head Shot
PICK: 139 RND: 5 (ARI)
Malik Benson
WR Oregon
Jalen Stroman Head Shot
PICK: 141 RND: 5 (ARI)
Jalen Stroman
S Notre Dame
Brenen Thompson Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (ARI)
Brenen Thompson
WR Mississippi State
Nadame Tucker Head Shot
PICK: 176 RND: 5 (ARI)
Nadame Tucker
DE Western Michigan
Taylen Green Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 6 (ARI)
Taylen Green
QB Arkansas
Josh Moten Head Shot
PICK: 217 RND: 7 (ARI)
Josh Moten
CB Southern Miss
Draft Picks Received
Dontay Corleone Head Shot
PICK: 40 RND: 2 (KC)
Dontay Corleone
DT Cincinnati
Caden Curry Head Shot
PICK: 109 RND: 4 (KC)
Caden Curry
DE Ohio State
Ar'maj Reed-Adams Head Shot
PICK: 130 RND: 4 (DEN)
Ar'maj Reed-Adams
OG Texas A&M
Malik Benson Head Shot
PICK: 139 RND: 5 (CLE)
Malik Benson
WR Oregon
Brenen Thompson Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (DEN)
Brenen Thompson
WR Mississippi State
Nadame Tucker Head Shot
PICK: 176 RND: 5 (KC)
Nadame Tucker
DE Western Michigan
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (CLE)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (KC)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Players Gained
Head Shot
Wanya Morris
OT
Players traded away
Head Shot
Isaiah Adams
OT
Head Shot
Kyler Murray
QB
Draft Grade — Cardinals
Overall D
ValueB- NeedB+ TradesF FutureB
The phones sank the Cardinals this weekend: D.

You can lose a draft before you make a pick. The Cardinals did it at the trade table, overpaying to chase players the board did not price nearly as high. Too much went sideways, and the D is the honest tally.

The tight end spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Corleone.

The roster is better shaped than it was, with quarterback chief among the fixes.

Add it up and it is a weekend the front office will hope everyone forgets, tight end very much included.

Pick Analysis
Pick3 Rnd1 David Bailey
They paid sticker price for David Bailey in the 3rd overall pick, and that is fine. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick34 Rnd2 Emmanuel Pregnon
Emmanuel Pregnon at the Round 2 slot is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick40 Rnd2 Dontay Corleone
Dontay Corleone at slot 40 is money in the bank, a interior defensive lineman taken below his worth. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick65 Rnd3 Blake Miller
They took Blake Miller at par in pick No. 65, which is nothing to complain about. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick104 Rnd4 Nicholas Singleton
The board had Nicholas Singleton higher than No. 104, and the running back fell to them anyway. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick109 Rnd4 Caden Curry
A market-rate edge rusher, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Caden Curry. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick130 Rnd4 Ar'maj Reed-Adams
By-the-book stuff, Ar'maj Reed-Adams at the 130th pick squarely in line with his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick139 Rnd5 Malik Benson
They did well to land Malik Benson in Round 5, Pick 1, just ahead of his grade. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick141 Rnd5 Jalen Stroman
A straight-up fair deal on Jalen Stroman at Round 5, Pick 3, value and slot in agreement. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Pick168 Rnd5 Brenen Thompson
Brenen Thompson in No. 168 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick176 Rnd5 Nadame Tucker
A tidy bit of business in pick 176, where Nadame Tucker graded well above the range. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick181 Rnd6 Taylen Green
Taylen Green in the 181st pick is fair value, right on his grade. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick217 Rnd7 Josh Moten
Josh Moten at the Round 7 slot is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.