NFL mock draft: Todd McShay predicts Arizona Cardinals trade back

One of the biggest names in NFL draft coverage over the years has been Todd McShay. Now longer with ESPN, he still is covering the draft and has mock drafts. Now it is in the form of a podcast and for The Ringer.

He released a new first-round mock draft on Wednesday, and he has the Arizona Cardinals wheeling and dealing.

He has already reported that the Cardinals want to draft a tackle in the first round but don't view any tackle worth the third overall pick. They want to trade back, just as they did in 2023, when they traded off the third pick and ended up with tackle Paris Johnson sixth overall.

Cardinals trade back in Round 1

To have a trade happen, the Cardinals need a trade partner and there has to be a player that team wants to move up and get. In this case, the New Orleans Saints want Ohio State EDGE Arvell Reese. They give the Cardinals the No. 8 pick, the No. 42 pick (their second-round selection) and a 2027 second-round pick in exchange for pick No. 3.

If this is the route the Cardinals want to go, this is pretty ideal. They move back enough to get one of the tackles, they get an extra early Day 2 pick and an extra second-round pick next year.

Round 1, No. 8 overall: Utah OT Spencer Fano

This would be a home-run move for GM Monti Ossenfort. He lands the right tackle in Fano to help finish off the offensive line rebuild while also picking up additional draft capital this year (no. 42) and next year (Saints’ second-rounder), giving Arizona real flexibility to get aggressive in its pursuit of a franchise quarterback in 2026 and/or 2027.

Arizona’s issues up front were clear last season, as it allowed the fifth-most sacks in the league (59) and struggled to run effectively outside the tackles. Fano directly addresses both problems and helps an improving unit that added Isaac Seumalo in free agency.

The discussion about Fano’s arm length is real, but that hasn’t shown up as a major issue on tape. He started 12 games at left tackle as a freshman and then logged 24 starts at right tackle over the past two seasons. He’s an excellent athlete who has consistently protected at a high level, and his mobility was a key factor in Utah’s outside run and screen games. At 6 feet, 5 1/2 inches and 311 pounds, Fano tied for the fastest 40-yard dash among offensive tackles over the past three years, and his 32-inch vertical (72nd percentile) highlights his lower-body explosiveness.

What is nice about this pick is that Fano can play either left or right tackle. He would be slotted in as their starting right tackle as a rookie, but should something happen to Paris Johnson, having a top-10 talent in the draft being able to move over would be good.

If Fano is the pick, it would break a three-year run of the Cardinals only selecting players from the Big Ten or SEC in Rounds 1 or 2 of the draft.

Ideally, with one of their two second-round picks as a result of the trade, they can add to their pass rush off the edge.

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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL mock draft: Todd McShay predicts Arizona Cardinals trade back