ryknyse'S MOCK DRAFT
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ryknyse'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON MAR 14, 2026

Cardinals

  • ryknyse DRAFTING FOR THE
    Cardinals
Draft Selections
T.J. Parker Head Shot
PICK: 12 RND: 1 (ARI)
T.J. Parker
DE-EDGE Clemson
Kayden McDonald Head Shot
PICK: 20 RND: 1 (ARI)
Kayden McDonald
DT Ohio State
Emmanuel Pregnon Head Shot
PICK: 34 RND: 2 (ARI)
Emmanuel Pregnon
OG Oregon
Zachariah Branch Head Shot
PICK: 65 RND: 3 (ARI)
Zachariah Branch
WR Georgia
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 104 RND: 4 (ARI)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
Mike Washington Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 112 RND: 4 (ARI)
Mike Washington Jr.
RB Arkansas
Dametrious Crownover Head Shot
PICK: 143 RND: 5 (ARI)
Dametrious Crownover
OT Texas A&M
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (ARI)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Zane Durant Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (ARI)
Zane Durant
DT Penn State
Matt Gulbin Head Shot
PICK: 183 RND: 6 (ARI)
Matt Gulbin
C Michigan State
Josh Moten Head Shot
PICK: 217 RND: 7 (ARI)
Josh Moten
CB Southern Miss
Draft Picks Received
T.J. Parker Head Shot
PICK: 12 RND: 1 (DAL)
T.J. Parker
DE-EDGE Clemson
Kayden McDonald Head Shot
PICK: 20 RND: 1 (DAL)
Kayden McDonald
DT Ohio State
Mike Washington Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 112 RND: 4 (DAL)
Mike Washington Jr.
RB Arkansas
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (BUF)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Zane Durant Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (BUF)
Zane Durant
DT Penn State
Draft Picks Traded
David Bailey Head Shot
PICK: 3 RND: 1 (DAL)
David Bailey
LB-EDGE Texas Tech
Players Gained
Head Shot
Tyler Smith
OT
Players traded away
Head Shot
Isaiah Adams
OT
Draft Grade — Cardinals
Overall B
ValueC+ NeedB+ TradesA+ FutureB-
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Cardinals a B.

The trade table was a mismatch, and the Cardinals were on the right end of it, hauling in a fortune in surplus value. They moved the roster forward and banked a B for it.

For all the activity, quarterback went untouched, which is hard to explain. Every board in the league had Lance lower, and that gap is the story.

Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.

Pick Analysis
Pick12 Rnd1 T.J. Parker
In Round 1, Pick 12 they get juice off the edge, though they paid up to get him. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Pick20 Rnd1 Kayden McDonald
A market-rate interior defensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Kayden McDonald. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick34 Rnd2 Emmanuel Pregnon
No edge and no loss on Emmanuel Pregnon in the 34th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick65 Rnd3 Zachariah Branch
Fair-plus on Zachariah Branch, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick104 Rnd4 Bryce Lance
They liked Bryce Lance enough to skip the value, taking him in pick No. 104. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick112 Rnd4 Mike Washington Jr.
By-the-book stuff, Mike Washington Jr. at pick 112 squarely in line with his ranking. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick143 Rnd5 Dametrious Crownover
A tidy little value on Dametrious Crownover in the 143rd overall pick, a step better than break-even. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick165 Rnd5 Bryce Boettcher
Bryce Boettcher in No. 165 is fair value, right on his grade. It fills a real need, too.
Pick168 Rnd5 Zane Durant
Zane Durant in the Round 5 slot is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick183 Rnd6 Matt Gulbin
Matt Gulbin at pick 183 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick217 Rnd7 Josh Moten
A clean, defensible pick in the 217th pick with a little surplus value in Josh Moten. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.