Will Cardinals make stunning Jeremiyah Love decision and gift Titans desired defensive star?

A report emerged Thursday morning suggesting that the Tennessee Titans will either select the best defensive player on their board with the fourth overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft or move down the draft order and acquire additional assets from a team that wants to select Notre Dame Fighting Irish star running back Jeremiyah Love at choice No. 4. 

That piece was produced under the assumption that quarterback Fernando Mendoza, pass-rusher Arvell Reese and defensive end David Bailey will be the draft's first three selections. On Thursday, NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY suggested that the Arizona Cardinals may shock the football world when they are called to spend the third overall pick. 

Are Cardinals waiting to draft Jeremiyah Love at pick No. 3?

"The Cardinals could opt for whichever pass-rusher the Jets pass on at No. 2," Hughes wrote, "but don’t be surprised if they select Love. There’s a lot of smoke there." 

Multiple analysts have Love rated as the second-best overall prospect in this year's draft class, with his only real flaw being that he doesn't play a so-called "premium" position. If those running the Cardinals agree with such assessments, they could run to the podium to select Love on April 23. 

The Jets are expected to pass on Love after the Las Vegas Raiders make Mendoza the draft's first pick. 

What Titans could do at No. 4 if Love is off the board

Interestingly, Hughes thinks that Mendoza, Reese and Love could be the draft's first three picks. While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi indicated that his mindset regarding selection No. 4 won't change regardless of how things play out on the fourth Thursday of April.

"You can make mistakes if you’re trying to force a need to take a player that’s a lesser value," Borgonzi said, per Nick Suss of the Nashville Tennessean. "So I think we always go back to take the best player." 

Borgonzi added: "I think we’re going to remain flexible where we’re at because I think there’s a handful of players we really like at four. Certainly, I think that we're going to have options there at four no matter what a team does in front of us." 

Perhaps Borgonzi said that knowing there's at least a chance that either Bailey or Reese will fall to the Titans after the Cardinals make their pick.