Cardinals take a large risk of betting on upside over making a safer bet in a new 2026 NFL mock draft

Glendale, Ariz. – The Arizona Cardinals have spent the spring tearing the old blueprint to shreds. Out is head coach Jonathan Gannon; in is Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Out is franchise quarterback Kyler Murray, released after six turbulent seasons; in is a blank canvas that begins with the No. 3 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. With that pick, a new A to Z Sports mock projects general manager Monti Ossenfort will gamble on ceiling rather than certainty, tapping Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling in a move that has already ignited debate inside league circles.

Freeling’s meteoric rise is the draft’s most striking subplot. Two months ago the 6-foot-7 junior wasn’t universally graded as a first-round talent. A dominant showing at the NFL Scouting Combine—where scouts raved about his footwork during on-field drills—has since catapulted him past more polished prospects such as Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Utah’s Spencer Fano and Penn State’s Vega Ioane. Multiple evaluators in Indianapolis told A to Z Sports they would not be shocked if Freeling ultimately becomes the first offensive lineman drafted next April.

The appeal is obvious. Freeling’s movement skills are described as “plus” for the position, and pairing him with 2023 first-round right tackle Paris Johnson Jr. would give Arizona bookend pass-protectors for the next decade. “He tested really well on Sunday and looked like the best athlete in the class,” said analyst Tyler Forness, who authored the mock. “If he reaches those heights, the third overall pick won’t feel rich at all.”

Yet the red flags are equally glaring. Freeling’s tape features highlight-reel recoveries and punishing finish blocks, but also stretches of inconsistent hand placement and lapses in pass-set rhythm. In short, he is a projection—an upside swing that could yield an All-Pro or saddle a rebuilding roster with a developmental project at a premium draft slot.

The Cardinals, still early in a roster teardown, are one of the few clubs positioned to absorb that risk. With Murray gone and no immediate pressure to contend in a stacked NFC West, LaFleur’s staff could afford growing pains if Freeling requires a year of technique refinement. Still, bypassing safer linemen such as Mauigoa—widely viewed as the most pro-ready blocker—would represent a bold declaration that the franchise values rare traits over plug-and-play stability.

Arizona’s war room has six months to weigh that calculus. If Freeling’s trajectory continues upward, Thursday night whispers could become Friday night reality, and the Cardinals will have staked the first cornerstone of their new era on potential rather than pedigree.