Darien'S MOCK DRAFT
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2026

  • Darien DRAFTING FOR THE
    Cardinals
Draft Selections
Francis Mauigoa Head Shot
PICK: 3 RND: 1 (ARI)
Francis Mauigoa
OT Miami
Anthony Hill Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 34 RND: 2 (ARI)
Anthony Hill Jr.
LB Texas
Brian Parker II Head Shot
PICK: 65 RND: 3 (ARI)
Brian Parker II
OG Duke
Emmett Johnson Head Shot
PICK: 104 RND: 4 (ARI)
Emmett Johnson
RB Nebraska
Connor Tollison Head Shot
PICK: 141 RND: 5 (ARI)
Connor Tollison
C Missouri
DJ Harvey Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 6 (ARI)
DJ Harvey
CB USC
Kalil Alexander Head Shot
PICK: 217 RND: 7 (ARI)
Kalil Alexander
LB-EDGE Texas State
Draft Grade — Cardinals
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB+ TradesB- FutureB-
The Cardinals cashed the board's mistake on Johnson: B-.

Everything else got attention, and quarterback got none. That is a strange way for the Cardinals to leave a draft.

Johnson falling to them is the kind of break a good board is built to catch. Tollison has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced.

They left with offensive lineman solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.

All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but quarterback.

Pick Analysis
Pick3 Rnd1 Francis Mauigoa
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Francis Mauigoa. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick34 Rnd2 Anthony Hill Jr.
Fair-plus on Anthony Hill Jr., a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It fills a real need, too.
Pick65 Rnd3 Brian Parker II
By-the-book stuff, Brian Parker II at pick No. 65 squarely in line with his ranking. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick104 Rnd4 Emmett Johnson
Somehow Emmett Johnson was still sitting there in pick 104, and they pounced on premier running back value. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick141 Rnd5 Connor Tollison
Connor Tollison at the Round 5 slot jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick181 Rnd6 DJ Harvey
They paid sticker price for DJ Harvey in the 181st overall pick, and that is fine. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Pick217 Rnd7 Kalil Alexander
Kalil Alexander at Round 7, Pick 1 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.