The Arizona Cardinals are one of the most interesting teams with the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, holding the third overall selection with pressing needs at key positions. However, efforts are reportedly being made inside the front office to make some surprise picks.
on the latest episode of The McShay ShowNFL Draft analyst Todd McShay said, "Someone in the Cardinals building is working really, really hard" for the team to select running back the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with the third overall pick.
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Note, according to McShay, this is someone who has some hold on the Cardinals organization and has some influence on what will be done with the No. 3 pick. However, Arizona is still keeping their options open, and that includes the possibility of trading up to multiple spots and then selecting Love.
Why wouldn't the Cardinals possibly draft Jeremiah Love?
Drafting Love with the third overall pick would be a bit of an odd decision considering the Cardinals' offseason moves. Arizona signed running back Tyler Allger to a two-year, $12.25 million deal, re-signed Bam Knight, and worked out a deal to retain James Conner.
There's one more thing to keep in mind that will make selecting Love with the third overall pick a little difficult. Under the NFL's rookie salary scale, drafting Love with a top-three pick would lock him into a contract that would effectively make him one of the 10 highest-paid running backs in the NFL.
On the other hand, selecting an edge rusher or offensive tackle at No. 3 overall would mean they would have to sign a rookie-scale contract that is valued outside the top 20 at the position. This shows how much more valuable offensive tackles and edge rushers are than running backs.
Of course, many NFL teams view Love as the best prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. If Arizona doesn't take him third overall, the Tennessee Titans (fourth overall pick), New York Giants (fifth overall pick), and Washington Commanders (seventh overall pick) are viable options for him as landing spots.
Ultimately, given the investment already made this offseason and the team's obvious needs at both an edge rusher and right tackle, we would be surprised if the Cardinals end up using their top selection on Love.
