First Cardinals Mock Draft of the Mike LaFleur Era

The Arizona Cardinals have made their head coaching hire after seemingly missing out on Klint Kubiak, with Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. It's nonetheless a good hire despite its timing, as the Cardinals pivot to a young, offensive-minded head coach and another disciple of the famous Sean McVay tree. Cardinals fans should be happy with the move despite the outside noise.

But a new hire brings up a great opportunity for a fresh full seven-round 2026 NFL Draft mock for the Cardinals. We now have direction for where the franchise is likely headed toward, and we can craft a new mock based on what we know about the new staff. Given LaFleur's offensive background and following a 2025 draft class that focused almost entirely on the defensive side of the football, Arizona's 2026 draft feels predestined to be a class parallel to last year.

The Cardinals need to rebuild their offensive identity starting at quarterback, but a weaker draft class won't fix that issue. Instead, we should expect the team to rebuild the trenches and fix one of the league's worst offensive lines. There's a need for more playmakers, too, and adding a new star running back could be a priority for LaFleur, who has seen Kyren Williams blossom into a household name under his watch.

All that said, let's kick off a brand new mock draft with a rare trade in my mocks for the Cardinals...

TRADE:

Arizona receives: 1.07, 3.71, 2027 second-round pick
Washington receives: 1.03

It's not going to be as easy as fans want to believe it will be to trade down in this draft compared to years past due to quarterback scarcity. What helps make up for that is an abundance of top-tier defenders, particularly in the front seven. If the Cardinals receive a worthwhile package to move down with a team that would like their pick of the litter for one of the elite talents, they could justify a slight move down the board.

The Commanders call the Cardinals to get ahead of the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, while also making sure they're aggressive in case a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or Cincinnati Bengals want to move up for a guy. Arizona moves down four picks, grabs an extra third, and a 2027 second-round pick.

7.) Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Let's get LaFleur his lead running back who can help balance the offense out and bring back the explosive plays they lacked in 2025. Love is a special talent with great speed, vision, pass catching, and playmaking ability that teams are willing to draft high. I know this pick will be met with backlash considering the current state of the offensive line, but I have a plan to upgrade the team's biggest weakness later in the draft. I also have assumptions the team adds players in free agency.

So as long as Arizona does that, then you can justify taking Love seventh overall.

34.) Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL, Oregon

Part one of my plan to ensure the Cardinals' offensive line doesn't derail their 2026 season is adding Pregnon to plug and play left guard. Pregnon has been a staple of consistency over the last three seasons between USC and Oregon, notching First-Team All-American honors for his 2025 campaign.

He's a big mauler inside at 6'5" and 320 lbs with a great balance of pass blocking and run grading. There's a serious argument that Pregnon is an upgrade over every guard on the current roster, making a starting gig his to lose.

65.) Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

It feels like an annual tradition that we mock an Arizona State football player to the Cardinals, and I understand how repetitive it gets. But unlike mocking the team Cam Skattebo and others at positions that aren't of dire need for the team, Iheanachor could fill the biggest weakness on this roster: right tackle. Iheanachor improved each year in three seasons with the Sun Devils, with a mastery performance against Texas Tech where he shut out David Bailey when the first-rounder rushed his side of the line. The Senior Bowl was another strong showing for Iheanachor, and his stock is skyrocketing.

There's a chance the Cardinals could be forced to take Iheanachor much higher by the time the draft rolls around, but there shouldn't be much debate on selecting him if he's available. Like Pregnon, Iheanachor could immediately start, giving Arizona a very young offensive line including Paris Johnson Jr. opposite him.

71. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois

Jacas is another player who made some money at the Senior Bowl, and he has an impressive résumé to match. On a sneaky good Illinois defense, Jacas managed to collect 19 sacks over the last two seasons and 27 in four seasons. Jacas found the field as a freshman, too, giving him as much playing time as any player in the draft.

The Cardinals nailed last year's free agent signing of Josh Sweat, but their other attempts to shore up their pass rush were not as great. By adding Jacas, the Cardinals' pass rush has a much more proven sack artist than what's currently in the room. His frame and thick chest will make him a handful off the edge, and some refinement in his run defense could make him a star.

104. Carson Beck, QB, Miami

When talking about Beck, it's hard not to mention his late-game struggles, none more apparent than his game-losing interception in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. It's a very important detail and a noteworthy flaw when evaluating him, but it's a disservice to overlook the rest of an impressive résumé that proves his ability to get the most out of his weapons. His starting experience for championship-caliber teams, both with Miami and Georgia, also holds more weight than is given.

There will be groans if Beck is selected by the Cardinals, but it's unwarranted given the current state of the quarterback room. You'd also be pairing a seasoned starting quarterback with a young, innovative, offensive-minded head coach. LaFleur could easily script an offense around Beck's strengths and turn him into a viable starter for a Cardinals team starving for even average quarterback play.

A swing at the plate for Beck in the fourth round is a perfect way to start off the new era of Cardinals football, with a loaded 2027 NFL Draft class on deck should things go south.

141. Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State University

Lance broke out over the last two seasons with NDSU with a whopping 25 touchdown receptions and more than 17 yards per reception. His 17 touchdown receptions in 2024 set an MVFC single-season record, with his big-play prowess drawing comparisons to his predecessor, Christian Watson. A lazy comparison to be sure, but he's got the size and speed that profile him as a number one receiver at the next level.

The biggest questions surrounding Lance will mostly revolve around his ability to adjust to much more talented defenders; after all, professional football players are going to be better than 99.999% of the guys Lance lined up against while at Fargo. A Day Three flier on the stud pass catcher is a great investment for the Cardinals, who would love more bodies in a wide receiver room that sees quite a drop-off after its two starters. With the right coaching, which LaFleur would provide, Lance could make a successful transition to the next level and become a playmaker for Arizona.

182. Kaleb Proctor, IDL, Southeastern Louisiana

Proctor went from unknown prospect to hot commodity after his standout week at the Senior Bowl. The 6'3" and 280 lbs interior defender showed his ability to stack up with the big boys after dominating the Southland Conference with 15 sacks across 48 games. Seeing Proctor put his hand usage and burst stack up with higher-level prospects is proof that he has the mental and technical makeup to play in the pros, even with less-than-ideal size.

Adding to his playing weight isn't a monumental task so long as he can maintain his quickness, and there's opportunity for him to grow into a terrific player with the right situation in place. Calling Proctor a project wouldn't be the most accurate way to describe him, considering how well he already plays. Finding a good balance to bulk him up without sacrificing the rest of his skill set is where the challenge lies. It's a perfect late-round player for the Cardinals to roll the dice on.

217. Connor Tollison, IOL, Missouri

Tollison was one of my favorite names entering the season, but he didn't live up to my expectations to end the year as one of the draft's better center prospects. He's already on the lighter side at just 285 lbs, but he struggled to anchor like he has the last two seasons. Still, he was very good last year and in 2023, giving me some hope that he could rebound in the pros. He's also a plus athlete for the position, which gives him another edge to potentially improve.

With the addition of Tollison, this rounds out my moves to improve the Cardinals' offensive line with three players with multiple starting years of experience at one spot. The best part with Tollison is he will sit behind Hjalte Froholdt as great depth and a stash-and-develop piece who could maybe start depending on Froholdt's future.