3 Early 2026 Draft Prospects for Arizona Cardinals to Watch

I know what you’re thinking. You probably read the headline and thought to yourself, “ the Arizona Cardinals' season hasn’t even started yet, why are you talking about the draft already?”

Well, I’ll tell you why. Because it’s never too early to talk about the NFL Draft! 

Let’s start with the offensive side of the ball. It seems as though the NFC West has been getting weaker for the past year. That’s why it’s always good to look ahead into the future while still being able to compete now. You could certainly make a case for the Cardinals sneaking into the playoffs this season. But, the Cardinals certainly still have some holes to fill.

You could make a big board of 2026 NFL Draft prospects. But, we’re not going to do that just yet.

Let’s start with three offensive draft prospects the Arizona Cardinals should watch for the 2025 college football season.

Spencer Fano - OT/Utah

The Cardinals have Jonah Williams under contract for two years. But, they’re going to need a franchise cornerstone on the other side of that line to protect Kyler Murray. In early look at the 2026 draft looks like another deep tackle class. That’s where Utah’s Spencer Fano comes in.

He has 25 career starts with the Utes, displaying versatility on both ends of the line. Fano was the fifth ranked player in college football, according to PFF. His athleticism and versatility scream first-round talent. But, we see players fluctuate, and fall in the draft for no reason all the time. So, there are certainly a plethora of offensive tackles in the 2026 draft class the Cardinals could look at. Fano is one of them.

KC Concepcion - WR/Texas A&M

Perhaps one of the more giraffe-eligible sleeper receivers in this draft class is Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion. He comes to the Aggies with two years of experience from NC State. He is a bit on the lighter side, weigh in at 187 pounds. But, his ball skills are certainly there. He regressed a bit and nearly every category last season with NC State. But, he’s due for a potentially big year with Texas A&M.

Outside of Marvin Harrison Jr., the Cardinals don’t really have a receiver who stands out. Sure, they have guys like Zay Jones and Michael Wilson. But, they need a premier guy they can develop into a true number two receiver next to Harrison. Concepcion could be that guy for them. 

Mark Fletcher Jr. - RB/Miami

I know what you’re thinking on this one. Why would the Cardinals need a running back? Well, I’ll tell you why. They dropped Trey Benson being a starter early in his career, assuming he could be the future of that running back room. James Conner is a very underrated running back in this league still, but he’s also 30.

Mark Fletcher Jr. out of Miami is a guy the Cardinals could get in the later rounds. He doesn't have a ton of production at Miami. But, the talent is certainly there. He could be a nice depth piece in that running back room that continues to get young for that franchise.   

Overall, it’s never too early to think about the draft! There are certainly apply throughout of guys the Cardinals could watch for this upcoming season of college football. But, these three guys are just a select a few of them.