Here are three Arizona Cardinals draft targets at third overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, including edge rusher David Bailey out of Texas Tech.
After starting the 2025 NFL season 2-0, the Arizona Cardinals were looking like a team that could sneak into the playoffs as a dark horse. Instead, they suffered one heartbreaking loss after another, losing their next five games by four points or less, winning just one game the rest of the season. While a 3-14 record is usually pretty bleak, the Cardinals lost eight of those games by seven points or less.
With the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cardinals have the opportunity to right the ship. Here are three Arizona Cardinals draft targets to consider.
Arizona Cardinals Draft Targets at No. 3
David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
There is no question that the Arizona Cardinals need to figure out their defense if this team is going to work. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett is surrounded by plenty of playmakers to keep the team afloat, but they need some help defensively. David Bailey would immediately give that help as the best edge rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Bailey may be slightly undersized for his position, but his explosiveness and speed on the edge are something to behold. He is an absolute nightmare in the backfield and was a big part of Texas Tech’s vaunted defense this past year. In his one season with the Red Raiders after transferring from Stanford, he led the Big 12 with 19.5 tackles for loss and led the entire country with 14.5 sacks, earning All-American honors in the process.
The Cardinals have some talent on the defensive side of the ball, with Budda Baker and Will Johnson bringing some serious talent. However, if the Cardinals can’t get into the backfield and disrupt the play, even the best corners and safeties in the world are going to lose coverage after enough time. If the Cardinals go with Bailey, they will add another stud to their defensive line and will help ease the burden on their secondary. While they have plenty of other defensive holes to fill in addition to edge rusher, drafting Bailey would be a great starting point for the Cardinals.
Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
For as much talent as the Cardinals have on offense, they still need some help on their offensive line. To their credit, they did partially address this when they drafted Paris Johnson Jr. sixth overall back in 2023, and it looks like that pick will pay off. Unfortunately, they still don’t have a long-term answer at the other tackle position and have some issues outside of tackle on the line as well.
Francis Mauigoa was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school and deserves a lot of credit for living up to expectations at a big school like Miami, where plenty of offensive line prospects have floundered in the past. He was incredibly durable during his time at Miami and was only called for seven penalties in over 800 offensive snaps this past year. He has some kinks in his game that need to be worked out, as most prospects do, but he has the body build of a guard, which makes him an intriguing option to possibly move between positions if needed.
It’s never super exciting for a team to pick an offensive lineman in the draft, especially this early. When it comes to early picks in the NFL Draft, the sexy pick isn’t always the right pick. Bolstering the offensive line would help take this already promising offense to the next level and would allow the Arizona Cardinals’ draft strategy to focus on fortifying their defense in the remaining rounds.
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Every year, there are a handful of players who show out in the NFL Combine and immediately vault up draft boards. This year, Sonny Styles is one of those players. With his great Combine and his great season at Ohio State this past year, Styles has gone from a player expected to go in the 7-10 area of the draft to a player who will likely be gone before the Cleveland Browns come up at sixth overall.
Defense is clearly an issue for the Cardinals, and their defensive line isn’t the only concern. Arizona has a real issue from both a talent and depth perspective at the linebacker position, and quite frankly, needs an overhaul. If the Cardinals feel there are plenty of defensive line options later on in the draft, it would make sense to take Styles at third overall.
The most interesting part about Styles as a prospect is that he started out as a safety at Ohio State before transitioning to linebacker. As a result, he has very good play recognition skills and is incredibly versatile. He can certainly cover in man coverage while also having the quickness and burst needed to be a capable linebacker at the NFL level as well. Although he could use some work in zone coverages, he’s a very complete linebacker from all other aspects and would make a great first pick for the Arizona Cardinals’ draft.
