The 2025 NFL draft was just completed Saturday and the Arizona Cardinals came away with seven players, six on defense. We are barely sleeping off the haze of the draft that was just completed, but there is already a 2026 mock draft.
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy mocked the first round of the 2026 draft, giving us way-too-early projections.
In his projections, the Cardinals, who have the sixth overall pick, go with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
One thing stands out immediately — that the Cardinals have the sixth pick in the draft.
After an eight-win season in 2024 in which they were 6-4 at the bye week and in the NFC West lead, they are expected to be contenders in the division and hopefully make the postseason.
To be in a position to have the sixth pick in the draft next year would be an epic failure.
As for taking a safety with the sixth overall pick, that also doesn’t track, considering the philosophy of general manager Monti Ossenfort. Safety is an important but not premium position. In three drafts, Ossenfort has selected two safeties, both on Day 3.
Downs is a promising player. He played in 2023 as a freshman for Alabama and led the SEC with 70 solo tackles and 107 total tackles, picking off two passes.
For Ohio State last season, he was an All-American and had 82 total tackles, eight for loss, a half sack, two interceptions and six pass breakups.
The Cardinals could need a new safety, as Jalen Thompson enters the final year of his contract, but they do have 2023 fourth-round pick Rabbit Taylor-Demerson potentially in line to replace him.
That said, 2026 mock drafts are more about two things — where teams might be picking and who will be the top prospects in next year’s draft.
Downs will certainly be a player to watch, but hopefully the Cardinals are picking somewhere in the 20s or later in next year’s draft.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: 2026 NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals land safety in top 10
The 2025 NFL draft was just completed Saturday and the Arizona Cardinals came away with seven players, six on defense. We are barely sleeping off the haze of the draft that was just completed, but there is already a 2026 mock draft.
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy mocked the first round of the 2026 draft, giving us way-too-early projections.
In his projections, the Cardinals, who have the sixth overall pick, go with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
One thing stands out immediately — that the Cardinals have the sixth pick in the draft.
After an eight-win season in 2024 in which they were 6-4 at the bye week and in the NFC West lead, they are expected to be contenders in the division and hopefully make the postseason.
To be in a position to have the sixth pick in the draft next year would be an epic failure.
As for taking a safety with the sixth overall pick, that also doesn’t track, considering the philosophy of general manager Monti Ossenfort. Safety is an important but not premium position. In three drafts, Ossenfort has selected two safeties, both on Day 3.
Downs is a promising player. He played in 2023 as a freshman for Alabama and led the SEC with 70 solo tackles and 107 total tackles, picking off two passes.
For Ohio State last season, he was an All-American and had 82 total tackles, eight for loss, a half sack, two interceptions and six pass breakups.
The Cardinals could need a new safety, as Jalen Thompson enters the final year of his contract, but they do have 2023 fourth-round pick Rabbit Taylor-Demerson potentially in line to replace him.
That said, 2026 mock drafts are more about two things — where teams might be picking and who will be the top prospects in next year’s draft.
Downs will certainly be a player to watch, but hopefully the Cardinals are picking somewhere in the 20s or later in next year’s draft.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: 2026 NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals land safety in top 10
