Total Crock: "Lack of elite talent at top of 2026 NFL Draft."
By Walter Mitchell
Some Cardinals' pundits and fans are now arguing that due to a "lack of elite talent at the top of the 2026 draft," the Cardinals should do everything they can to trade down.
What a crock.
The Fab Five
Player Evals and Comps per ESPN's Matt Miller (plus I added their RAS scores or other confirmation of these players' physical gifts.
2026 NFL draft rankings: Matt Miller's top 481 players, comps - ESPN
* QB Fernando Mendoza
2. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 236 | Grade: 95
Comp: Joe Burrow
The top quarterback in the class, Mendoza is a prototypical pocket passer in the Burrow/Matt Ryan mold. He has good arm strength and quickly processes what he sees when scanning the field. After showing flashes at Cal, Mendoza dominated at Indiana last season, throwing 41 touchdown passes and six interceptions while rushing for six more scores. He has the frame to pick up short yardage on runs or scramble when the pocket breaks down, but Mendoza is at his best carving up defenses in the pocket. His timing, rhythm and field vision helped him complete 72% of his passes in 2025 and have him cemented atop the QB1 race.
* RB Jeremiyah Love
1. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 212 | Grade: 98
Comp: Reggie Bush
Love is an elite modern running back with true three-down skills. He has home run speed, with multiple 90-plus-yard runs in his college career. He's also a skilled receiver, hauling in 64 catches and six touchdown receptions in his three seasons. But Love isn't just a speed back. He can deliver violent hits at the point of attack and has the contact balance to bounce off tacklers and stay upright. With 4.36 speed and sweet open-field moves, Love is the closest thing to Reggie Bush as a prospect since he entered the NFL in 2006.
* LB Arvell Reese
4. Arvell Reese, LB/Edge, Ohio State
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 241 | Grade: 94
Comp: Abdul Carter
Reese wasn't on the NFL draft radar before last season but shot up the board as one of the nation's most productive and promising players. A hybrid defender who plays linebacker and edge rusher, there are obvious comparisons to Micah Parsons and Carter. Reese has the length, elite burst and power to be dangerous off the edge, as evidenced by his 6.5 sacks last season in a part-time edge role. His flexibility and athletic tools at a premium position could make Reese the first defender off the board.
* ED David Bailey
6. David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 250 | Grade: 93
Comp: Nik Bonitto
Bailey was the nation's most impactful defensive transfer, finishing last season with 14.5 sacks (tied for first in the FBS) after arriving from Stanford. He also had 71 pressures (tied for second in the FBS). Bailey's first step causes problems for offensive tackles, and he counters well with leverage and strong hands. He is also relentless in pursuing the ball, which helped him rack up 23 tackles for loss last season. Bailey's 4.5 40-yard dash and 33¾-inch arm length at the combine could tempt the Jets at No. 2.
* LB Sonny Styles
5. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 244 | Grade: 94
Comp: Fred Warner
Styles fits the mold of the long, fast versatile linebacker prospect who is regularly drafted in the first round. His speed, length, power in his hands and range jump off the tape. And as a former safety, Styles knows how to turn and move in coverage, too. Though Arvell Reese got much of the Ohio State defensive attention last season, Styles produced 83 tackles and one interception and has shown pass-rush ability (six sacks in 2024). An elite combine performance -- including a 43½-inch vertical jump and 4.46-second 40-yard dash -- has put him in the top-five conversation.
Commentary:
Every one of these players brings star power and a huge boost to the roster at their positions.
Hopefully, one of these stellar talents will be an Arizona Cardinal come Thursday night.
One can only hope given the poor draft decisions of the recent past and overall failure of this franchise to draft, develop and resign players.
ReplyDeleteThree years, three chances to land a franchise-altering defender — three times the Cardinals flinched. Trade away Will Anderson (Defensive Rookie of the Year) for Paris Johnson, Cash in the 2024 picks for Darius Robinson, who went three straight games without a single QB pressure and is PFFs worst DL in the League.. Trade DOWN in round two to grab Max Melton, who got benched by Week 12. While Malik Nabers is torching secondaries in New York and Bucky Irving is turning heads in Tampa.
,Ossenfort doesn't build through the draft — he collects picks, misses on them, and calls it a rebuild. The Cardinals don't need more volume. They need one GM who can actually hit.
Excellent summary, Sam!
DeleteMy thinking exactly, what we need is Quality, not Quantity...
ReplyDeleteWhat morons - thinking that if there is less quality talent at top of draft that you would trade down for additional picks with even lesser talent. Should be exact opposite get the quality available that will make an impact to your team. I am done with Monti's trade downs for added quantity of picks that don't stick with team and don't have roles on team. What good are extra picks when those players see no or limited action on field. The Max Melton pick exemplifies Monti's ability to excel in this scenario he decided on Melton over likes of DeJean & McKinstry. And D. Robinson (R1 pick received from Texans) can't stay on field and when he does appear a ghost would have as much impact on game (blame it on coaching or the pick itself), by all standards he (Monti) misses more than he hits.
We need to stick and get a player that can move the needle on either offense or defense. Monti has to show he can actually draft playmakers that help us win in this division. Anyone can come in cut players and create cap space or trade back for multiple picks. Stick and pick.
ReplyDeleteSure appears Monti will repeat his previous bad decision and trade down again…he sucks
ReplyDelete