2026 NFL Draft Rumors: Trade market may force Arizona Cardinals to make the pick at three

From Lance Zielrlein of NFL.com:

3. Arizona Cardinals – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

It turns out the late smoke comes from a fire. If the Cardinals can’t trade the pick, they stick and take their best available, regardless of positional value.

While Todd McShay does not take Love, he has quite the comment in his mock draft:

3. Arizona Cardinals – Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State

Priority no. 1 is trading back, picking up extra ammo for a Ty Simpson move up (from Round 2 to Round 1), and landing a top OT at better value a handful of spots down the board. The word from league sources is that ownership wants Jeremiyah Love and the front office wants David Bailey, but I’m not sure I completely trust that info, so I’m going with what makes the most sense from a roster-building standpoint—if the OL isn’t ready, drafting a RB in the top five has historically led to nightmare results.

The concern here becomes, Michael Bidwill making business decisions instead of on field football decisions.

The first running backs taken in the first round the last five drafts:

• 2025 – Ashton Jeanty (1.06)
• 2024 – None
• 2023 – Bijan Robinson (1.08)
• 2022 – None
• 2021 – Najee Harris (1.21)

While there is no question that Robinson is a star, Jeanty still has work to do and Harris was not re-signed by the Steelers.

The issue becomes with Love, will he help the team win games? Robinson is obviously the hope if you take Love that high, he has averaged 1,303 yards and eight touchdowns rushing , with 579 yards receiving and another three touchdowns, per season since he was drafted. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All Pro.

The Falcons were 7-10 in 2022 before Robinson, and have been 7-10/8-9/8-9 with Robinson. Now, that is not to say that Robinson isn’t fantastic, he is. But All Pro impact from a running back on a bad to average team (the Falcons obviously are the latter), seems to be the same as an All Pro tight end in the win column… negligible. Now, that isn’t to say you shouldn’t draft Love.

If we all agree he can be Robinson, adding Love to Trey McBride on offense could mean two All Pro level players on the roster. The issue is, does it raise the floor of the team enough?

Love in my opinion is one of the three best players in this draft, but I still don’t know if I would take him third overall. Can this roster and this offense foster a player like love to help him reach the Robinson status? Will he get enough touches/carries with this defense? What type of success will he have behind an offensive line that has question marks on the entire right side?

I will be fine with the pick if it ends up being Love, because it is exciting to see good players come to your team… Just not sure it changes the bottom line for the Cardinals.