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Cardinals invest in run game with third overall pick in Mel Kiper’s 2026 NFL Mock draft

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 8:32 PM ET

GLENDALE – With the end of the NFL regular season finished, many teams shift their focus to the 2026 NFL draft. The Arizona Cardinals are one of the 18 teams with their first round pick locked, with the highly coveted third overall pick. Famous draft analyst and ESPN writer Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates released their end-of-season selections for the first 18 picks. While many early mock drafts has Arizona taking tackle, edge or a position of dire need, Kiper went in a surprise direction of Norte Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

Yates pushed back on Kiper’s prediction and stated that Arizona needs to “eat their vegetables” first before drafting a skill player like Love. However, after having the 31st rushing attack in the NFL, Love might be a necessity for the franchise.

Can Love fix Cardinals run game?

Love is a truly special talent. This past college football season at Norte Dame, he earned All-American honors and third in Heisman voting. The 20-year-old had 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. The six-footer comes in at 214 pounds and carries that extra weight for stellar power, but still mixes in breakaway speed to get pass defenders. Kiper compared him to former Heisman Trophy winner in Reggie Bush.

General manager Monti Ossenfort isn’t scared to take skill position players high in the draft, selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall in 2024. However, the roster is filled with holes across both sides of the ball. The most dire position being the offensive line. Outside of Paris Johnson Jr., not a single lineman should have job security following a disastrous 2025.

A comparable example is from last year’s draft when the Las Vegas Raiders to Ashton Jeanty sixth overall. Jeanty was a Heisman finalists and an All-American, widely considered the best running back in the class. Despite that, Las Vegas didn’t have the offensive line or the pieces around him to allow for Jeanty to success. In his rookie season, the 22-year-old ran for 975 rushing yards and five touchdowns, as the Raiders went 3-14.

Losing James Conner and Trey Benson to significant injury last season does make the decision for Ossenfort difficult. Conner is heading past 30, with serious questions prevailing of his ability to play after a horrific foot injury. Benson still remains an unknown commodity, having very little usage in his first two seasons. Love has the accolades that could be fool’s gold or a diamond in the rough for the Cardinals to revive their run game.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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