I started my team previews for the 2026 NFL Draft – I won’t get to all 32 clubs – on Friday with the New York Jets set to pick No. 2 overall in the first round on April 23 in Pittsburgh. For Monday, I’ll drop a spot to No. 3 and look at the Arizona Cardinals as they rebuild in the post-Kyler Murray era.
That pick is Arizona’s highest since taking Murray first overall in 2019, but the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year was released last month – technically with a post-June 1 designation, but Murray already has signed with the Vikings. That move resulted in a dead cap hit of approximately $47.5 million in 2026 for the Cards.
Murray is third in franchise history with 20,460 passing yards, second in completions (1,974) and third in TD passes (121). He was one of five players in NFL history along with likely future Hall of Famers Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson and Cam Newton to throw for more than 20,000 yards and run for more 3,000 yards in their first seven seasons. However, Murray couldn’t stay healthy in recent years and his play had declined.
DraftKings is offering first position drafted per team for several clubs but didn’t for Jets and Cardinals, likely because it’s such a crapshoot for Arizona between pass rusher, offensive lineman and quarterback.
If you plan to bet on NFL Draft futures, check out the latest DraftKings promo code for the best offer.
We know that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is going No. 1 to the Raiders and it’s expected that Ohio State pass rusher Arvell Reese will go second to the Jets as I said on Friday.
For No. 3 overall, there are four players at DraftKings listed under +1000 as Arizona’s choice: Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey (+230), Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa (+270), Reese (+380), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (+750) and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles (+700). FanDuel has it largely the same, but DraftKings has Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain at +1200 while FanDuel has him at +950.
Should Reese slip by the Jets, he is likely to be Arizona’s guy. A couple of CBS Sports mock drafts have Mauigoa as the choice but most of them have Bailey. He was a consensus All-American, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in 2025. The Stanford transfer had 38 quarterback hits last season, most by any FBS player since 2016. He added 14.5 sacks and 81 QB pressures, tied for most in the FBS. Bailey can become Texas Tech’s first top-five pick in the common draft era. NFL.com gives Bailey a comp to star Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonitto.
Fans who want to wager on NFL Draft futures and tail Matt Severance’s picks need to see the latest FanDuel promo code.
The Cardinals are entering the 2026 season under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur with journeymen Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew as the team’s top two quarterbacks. Neither is signed past 2026. That’s decidedly not good and why Arizona has the lowest season Over/Under win total on the board at 4.5. Quarterback is a massive need but like the Jets, the Cardinals may opt to wait until the 2027 draft when the QB class is expected to be much better.
That said, on the prop on which team drafts the Crimson Tide’s Ty Simpson, the Cardinals are +125 favorites ahead of the Jets at +145. That prop doesn’t care when Simpson goes – it could be in Round 2. Simpson is rated as the No. 33 overall prospect via the CBS Sports Big Board, so it seems incredibly unlikely he goes third.
But the Cards could trade down, trade back into Round 1 later or get him with the second overall pick in Round 2 at No. 34 overall. That’s one spot behind the Jets, who also hold the No. 16 pick in Round 1. Simpson is given an O/U draft spot of 24.5. I’m guessing that’s because the QB-needy Cleveland Browns pick 24th.
There is concern regarding Simpson as he started just one year in college and could be a one-hit wonder like Mitch Trubisky, a name that gives me hives as a Bears fan. Simpson, who completed only 57% of his passes in Alabama’s final four games, has been given a comparison to another former Alabama QB in Mac Jones.
If you’re interested in betting on NFL futures, find the best offers on the Caesars Sportsbook promo code here.
I asked CBS Sports and SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White his take on what the Cards might do: “I don’t like Mauigoa as a top-three pick even in what’s considered an overall weaker class. As a right tackle who many think will kick inside to guard, this spot is much higher than he deserves to go, and my sense is that there’s a lot of disagreement on the OL board among teams anyway. For him to make sense here, he’d have to be the clear standout at the position, and he’s not. Monti Ossenfort showed in the Paris Johnson draft that he will maneuver around to pick up draft value near the top rather than overdraft an offensive lineman. If Mauigoa is Ossenfort’s guy, expect him to take what he can get to move down a few slots.
“Bailey makes sense as a trade-up option, but teams could also look to get ahead of the Titans for Jeremiah Love — or the Cardinals could take him to rebuild the RB room. I’d even throw Ty Simpson out there as an option if the Cardinals stay put — it wouldn’t be the first time a QB needy team took a questionable option at the position early in Round 1.”
I was slightly leaning Mauigoa at first but probably with a little Canes bias, and I agree with R.J. that third overall is too high for a right tackle. Mauigoa is only ranked as the No. 20 player via the CBS Sports Big Board. I like the Cards to take Bailey at No. 3 and perhaps hope Simpson is there Round 2.
require.config({“baseUrl”:”https://sportsfly.cbsistatic.com/fly-524/bundles/sportsmediajs/js-build”,”config”:{“version”:{“fly/components/accordion”:”1.0″,”fly/components/alert”:”1.0″,”fly/components/base”:”1.0″,”fly/components/carousel”:”1.0″,”fly/components/dropdown”:”1.0″,”fly/components/fixate”:”1.0″,”fly/components/form-validate”:”1.0″,”fly/components/image-gallery”:”1.0″,”fly/components/iframe-messenger”:”1.0″,”fly/components/load-more”:”1.0″,”fly/components/load-more-article”:”1.0″,”fly/components/load-more-scroll”:”1.0″,”fly/components/loading”:”1.0″,”fly/components/modal”:”1.0″,”fly/components/modal-iframe”:”1.0″,”fly/components/network-bar”:”1.0″,”fly/components/poll”:”1.0″,”fly/components/search-player”:”1.0″,”fly/components/social-button”:”1.0″,”fly/components/social-counts”:”1.0″,”fly/components/social-links”:”1.0″,”fly/components/tabs”:”1.0″,”fly/components/video”:”1.0″,”fly/libs/easy-xdm”:”2.4.17.1″,”fly/libs/jquery.cookie”:”1.2″,”fly/libs/jquery.throttle-debounce”:”1.1″,”fly/libs/jquery.widget”:”1.9.2″,”fly/libs/omniture.s-code”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init”:”1.0″,”fly/libs/jquery.mobile”:”1.3.2″,”fly/libs/backbone”:”1.0.0″,”fly/libs/underscore”:”1.5.1″,”fly/libs/jquery.easing”:”1.3″,”fly/managers/ad”:”2.0″,”fly/managers/components”:”1.0″,”fly/managers/cookie”:”1.0″,”fly/managers/debug”:”1.0″,”fly/managers/geo”:”1.0″,”fly/managers/gpt”:”4.3″,”fly/managers/history”:”2.0″,”fly/managers/madison”:”1.0″,”fly/managers/social-authentication”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/data-prefix”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/data-selector”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/function-natives”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/guid”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/log”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/object-helper”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/string-helper”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/string-vars”:”1.0″,”fly/utils/url-helper”:”1.0″,”libs/jshashtable”:”2.1″,”libs/select2″:”3.5.1″,”libs/jsonp”:”2.4.0″,”libs/jquery/mobile”:”1.4.5″,”libs/modernizr.custom”:”2.6.2″,”libs/velocity”:”1.2.2″,”libs/dataTables”:”1.10.6″,”libs/dataTables.fixedColumns”:”3.0.4″,”libs/dataTables.fixedHeader”:”2.1.2″,”libs/dateformat”:”1.0.3″,”libs/waypoints/infinite”:”3.1.1″,”libs/waypoints/inview”:”3.1.1″,”libs/waypoints/jquery.waypoints”:”3.1.1″,”libs/waypoints/sticky”:”3.1.1″,”libs/jquery/dotdotdot”:”1.6.1″,”libs/jquery/flexslider”:”2.1″,”libs/jquery/lazyload”:”1.9.3″,”libs/jquery/maskedinput”:”1.3.1″,”libs/jquery/marquee”:”1.3.1″,”libs/jquery/numberformatter”:”1.2.3″,”libs/jquery/placeholder”:”0.2.4″,”libs/jquery/scrollbar”:”0.1.6″,”libs/jquery/tablesorter”:”2.0.5″,”libs/jquery/touchswipe”:”1.6.18″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.draggable”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.mouse”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.position”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.slider”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.sortable”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.touch-punch”:”0.2.3″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.autocomplete”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.accordion”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.menu”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.dialog”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.resizable”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.button”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tooltip”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.effects”:”1.11.4″,”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.datepicker”:”1.11.4″}},”shim”:{“liveconnection/managers/connection”:{“deps”:[“liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4″]},”liveconnection/libs/sockjs-0.3.4”:{“exports”:”SockJS”},”libs/setValueFromArray”:{“exports”:”set”},”libs/getValueFromArray”:{“exports”:”get”},”fly/libs/jquery.mobile-1.3.2″:[“version!fly/utils/jquery-mobile-init”],”libs/backbone.marionette”:{“deps”:[“jquery”,”version!fly/libs/underscore”,”version!fly/libs/backbone”],”exports”:”Marionette”},”fly/libs/underscore-1.5.1″:{“exports”:”_”},”fly/libs/backbone-1.0.0″:{“deps”:[“version!fly/libs/underscore”,”jquery”],”exports”:”Backbone”},”libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.tabs-1.11.4″:[“jquery”,”version!libs/jquery/ui/jquery.ui.core”,”version!fly/libs/jquery.widget”],”libs/jquery/flexslider-2.1″:[“jquery”],”libs/dataTables.fixedColumns-3.0.4″:[“jquery”,”version!libs/dataTables”],”libs/dataTables.fixedHeader-2.1.2″:[“jquery”,”version!libs/dataTables”],”https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js”:[“https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js”]},”map”:{“*”:{“adobe-pass”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/app/VideoPlayer/AdobePass-min.js”,”facebook”:”https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js”,”facebook-debug”:”https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all/debug.js”,”google”:”https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js”,”google-csa”:”https://www.google.com/adsense/search/async-ads.js”,”google-javascript-api”:”https://www.google.com/jsapi”,”google-client-api”:”https://accounts.google.com/gsi/client”,”gpt”:”https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js”,”hlsjs”:”https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/hls.js/1.0.7/hls.js”,”recaptcha”:”https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api.js?onload=loadRecaptcha&render=explicit”,”recaptcha_ajax”:”https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/js/recaptcha_ajax.js”,”supreme-golf”:”https://sgapps-staging.supremegolf.com/search/assets/js/bundle.js”,”taboola”:”https://cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/cbsinteractive-cbssports/loader.js”,”twitter”:”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”,”video-avia”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/js/avia-js/2.48.0/player/avia.min.js”,”video-avia-ui”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/js/avia-js/2.48.0/plugins/ui/avia.ui.min.js”,”video-avia-gam”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/js/avia-js/2.48.0/plugins/gam/avia.gam.min.js”,”video-avia-hls”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/js/avia-js/2.48.0/plugins/hls/avia.hls.min.js”,”video-avia-playlist”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/js/avia-js/2.48.0/plugins/playlist/avia.playlist.min.js”,”video-ima3″:”https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3.js”,”video-ima3-dai”:”https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/sdkloader/ima3_dai.js”,”video-utils”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/js/CBSi/util/Utils-min.js”,”video-vast-tracking”:”https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/js/sb55/vast-js/vtg-vast-client.js”}},”waitSeconds”:300});
