NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals make 2 first-round trades

If there are two narratives that have lingered for a while when it comes to the Arizona Cardinals and the 2026 NFL draft, one was that they wanted to trade back from the third overall pick and draft a tackle, and the other was that they like quarterback Ty Simpson and want to add him.

So if those things are what the Cardinals truly want to do, Daniel Jeremiah's final mock draft for NFL.com is a perfectly executed game plan.

With Ohio State pass rusher Arvell Reese on the board and available for the Cardinals to take at No. 3, but instead the New Orleans Saints want him. They trade up to the third overall pick and the Cardinals move back to the eighth pick. He doesn't specify the exact trade, but a trade with the Saints could be No. 3 and No. 104 for No. 8 and No. 42.

At pick No. 8, the Cardinals land Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa, accomplishing goal No. 1.

Mauigoa slides in at right tackle opposite Paris Johnson Jr. on the left side, giving the Cardinals bookends on the offensive line and setting up their next selection.

As for goal No. 2, Jeremiah has them accomplishing it, too.

They move up from the second round, where they have pick No. 34 overall, to No. 26, dealing with the Buffalo Bills, and then they get Simpson.

If the Cardinals want to move up from No. 34 for Simpson, I think they’ll find some very willing trade partners late in Round 1. With no second-round pick right now (traded it in ), Buffalo could be motivated to get something done for extra draft capital. Arizona makes a move for its QB of the future after bolstering the offensive line earlier in Round 1.