Oct 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before their game against the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Cardinals Projected to Finish With Shockingly High Draft Pick

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The 2025 season has quickly gone sideways for the Arizona Cardinals.

After starting the year out 2-0, the organization moves into the future riding a three-game losing streak, and the schedule gets no easier from here.

According to ESPN's Bill Barnwell, the Cardinals' schedule is the third-toughest in terms of remaining strength of schedule.

The Cardinals face an uphill battle the rest of the way, and tough matchups against the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers could see the organization enter their bye week with a 2-5 record in a year where a playoff berth was the expectation.

Currently, the Cardinals' playoff chances sit at around 10% the rest of the way - and ESPN is projecting Arizona to finish with the tenth pick.

Cardinals Projected to Have 10th Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

ESPN used their Football Power Index to simulate the remainder of the season 10,000 times, which saw Arizona finish at an average spot draft position of 11.1 - good enough for the tenth pick when totaled out.

Their chance to earn the No. 1 pick sits at just 1.1%, though somewhat high marks to get a top-five pick (16.9%) and top-ten pick (50.3%) currently exist.

The Cardinals have previously picked third, fourth and 16th with their original picks in the first rounds under current general manager Monti Ossenfort.

Arizona - should they secure a top-ten pick - would likely see some massive changes made within the organization, as everybody from Kyler Murray to Jonathan Gannon would likely be on the hot seat.

Cardinals Playoff Chances Are Narrow

The 2026 class is considered to be deep at quarterback, and the Cardinals would be in prime position to select a new franchise signal-caller if they decided to move on from Murray.

Their sub-.500 record will make it tough currently to make a run at a wild card spot while their 0-2 start against the NFC West also makes it tough sledding to make a run within the division.

The Cardinals aren't letting the past few weeks get them down, however.

Gannon told reporters all about the vibe of the locker room ahead of Wednesday's practice:

“Today, dope as hell. Honestly, it really was. I couldn't start the meeting on time because of the energy in the room, so that's good to see, but we have to make sure that we're on the details in the meeting room and the walkthrough and practice. But it was really good. It was really good.”