NFL mock draft: Another 7-round Arizona Cardinals simulation

We are at the end of another week in the offseason and are four weeks from the 2026 NFL draft being completed. It’s time for another seven-round mock draft for the Arizona Cardinals.

In this seven-round mock draft using Pro Football Network’s simulator, the Cardinals mostly stay with their picks. They do make one trade back in Round 3, sending pick No. 65 to the Cincinnati Bengals for No. 72 and No. 119.

Round 1, No. 3 overall: Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.

I will continue to believe that a pass rusher is the best option for the Cardinals with the third overall pick. And while Bain’s short arms make him a risk, and the Cardinals have not selected a player outside the SEC and Big Ten in Round 1 or 2 in the last three years, but Bain has a chance to be great, and the Cardinals need that from the edge.

Round 2, No. 34 overall: Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor

This is the perfect scenario for the first two rounds of the draft. They get two good players who can start and contribute right away at positions that badly need help.

Round 3, No. 72 overall: USC WR Ja’Kobi Lane

Lane is a huge receiver at 6-4. He ran the 40 in 4.47 seconds and is a local player, growing up in Mesa. He averaged 15.2 yards per reception in 2025, catching 49 passes for 745 yards. He had four touchdowns after scoring 12 in 2024.

Round 4, No. 104 overall: Florida State DT Darrell Jackson Jr.

He is a giant at 6-5 and 317 pounds, and he has a ridiculous 7-2 wingspan. He had a big 2024 for the Seminoles with 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss. In 2025, he had one sack and three tackles for loss.

Round 4, No. 119 overall: Indiana LB Aiden Fisher

A leader on the national champion Hoosiers, he had 97 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown and a forced fumble. They would have selected starting linebackers from national champion teams from the Big Ten two consecutive years after taking Cody Simon in Round 5 last year. He isn’t big at 6-1 and 232 pounds, and he isn’t overly athletic, but he is extremely intelligent.

Round 5, No. 143 overall: N.C. State CB Devon Marshall

He isn’t big at 5-10 and 197 pounds, but he is a playmaker on the ball. He broke up a nation-leading 16 passes in 2025.

Round 6, No. 183 overall: Indiana RB Roman Hemby

Hemby is 6-1 and 208 pounds. He rushed for a career-high 1,120 yards for the national champs, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He is powerful and can catch the ball out of the backfield with 129 career college receptions.

Round 7, No. 217 overall: Florida EDGE Tyreak Sapp

He was great in 2024 with seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss, but dipped to one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss in 2025. He is 6-2 and 273 pounds. He is a bit of a tweener. He doesn’t have great bend off the edge, but is a little light for the interior. He could be a specialized player on passing downs.

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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL mock draft: Another 7-round Arizona Cardinals simulation

NFL mock draft: Another 7-round Arizona Cardinals simulation

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