Mock drafts here, mock drafts there, mock drafts fucking everywhere!

It is officially mock draft season.

Mock drafts and simulators can be an incredibly fun, helpful way to get to know some of the prospects in the class and as a way of understanding the lay of the land in terms of who is projected where or what insiders are hearing around the league.

However, they can also become a stumbling block that people can’t get over when the real thing happens. You spend weeks, even months, with an idea in your head about where certain players “should” be drafted and who will be available in later rounds, then your team makes a move that completely flies in the face of what you’ve had mapped out for the entirety of draft season. 

As fun and informative as they can be, it’s important to remember that mock drafts are simply that – mocks. The various simulators that are available are often informed by one or two people’s player rankings, without taking into consideration specific scheme fits for a team or things outside the data like a player’s personality or previous relationships. 

It’s something I’ve seen The Cardinal Rule @jokomo13 and other Cards fans who regularly post mocks have to explain when people inevitably lose their shit over a mock.

A player who might seem a “reach” on draft weekend might be the best fit for your team over three other players who’re ranked higher by analysts or a player you think might be available later in the process might actually be far more loved by the league than we’ll ever know. It only takes one team. 

With the 2026 draft class being widely considered a “down” year across the majority of position groups, this could be one of the messier drafts in recent memory.

To reflect this, instead of cherry picking the “best” draft I could muster up, I’ve repeated an experiment that I used last year. What you’ll see below is the combined result of 20 mock drafts, split evenly between the PFF and PFN simulators, with a mix of rankings/boards used. To keep results fair, there we no trades made.

For each pick, I allowed myself the ability to select from the top 15 ranked players that were available at each spot, and the most popular pick in each round made the final cut. If multiple players per round were tied for overall picks, the tie was settled by how they fit into the final draft i.e. if a tackle and a linebacker were tied in round 4 and we’d already come away with a tackle in round 2, the linebacker would be given priority.

They are profiled below with some key takeaways about each round.

Round 1, Pick #3: David Bailey – EDGE – Texas Tech – 6’3″ – 250 lbs – 22 years old

The 2025 Texas Tech defence will have a number of its players selected in this draft and the leading man amongst them will no doubt be David Bailey, the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.

A ferocious quarterback hunter who recorded 15 sacks during the Red Raiders march to the College Football Playoffs, Bailey possesses an uber-aggressive nature that feeds directly into his play. He takes it as a personal affront that tackles are trying to stop him from taking out the quarterback.

Bailey has an elite first step which he uses to get the jump on tackles, often finding himself making contact with or bypassing them completely before they’re fully set, which in turn can lead to him psyching tackles out and forcing them to overcommit. This leaves them wide open for Bailey to unleash his lethal spin or ghost moves.

In 2025, Bailey had a 21.8% pass-rush win rate and scores amongst the 98th percentile for the category when you factor in the past two seasons and earned a 93.8 pass-rush grade from PFF, with an increase to 94.4 when facing true pass sets. During the regular season, he was #1 in the country in total pressures (73).

His athleticism and frightening first step also mean that Bailey can make some good initial pop at contact as he transfers speed-to-power when rushing and is best highlighted when he closes in on a quarterback. Creating pressures and pass-rush win rate are all incredibly important but actually getting the sack is a separate trait altogether and it is one Bailey excelled at in 2025. His closing speed, desire and effort amalgamate to make him a heat-seeking missile whose destination is your quarterback.

The fact that he routinely makes contact with the quarterback is further underlined by his 10 career forced fumbles.

Although Bailey also saw a marked improvement in his run defence game this past season, with his PFF grade jumping from 59.3 in 2024 to 81.5 in 2025, whether he has the requisite strength to consistently set the edge at the NFL level remains to be seen. It certainly won’t come down to aggression or desire but he is going to come up against tackles who weigh 50-70 pounds more than him on a weekly basis.

By now, it should be clear that the aggression Bailey has is a major factor in his evaluation. On one hand, that’s a major plus. Too many football players enter the NFL with the desired build, traits and natural talent but fail to live up to expectations because they are missing that mean streak. Think Major Chip Hazard and the Commando Elite before they are implanted with the GloboTech X1000 microprocessor chip in Small Soldiers. Bailey has that mean streak.

As with the movie and the microprocessor chip, that mean streak is only compatible for long-term success if it can be utilised in a controlled manner, rather than resulting in a technological meltdown and all-out war and that’s a line that Bailey hasn’t been able to find yet.

He was ejected in 2024 for stomping on an opposition player’s head in Stanford’s loss to NC State and was involved in a physical altercation with photographer Mark Rebilas after Arizona State had scored an upset win over Texas Tech in October leading to Rebilas filing a police report.

How Monti Ossenfort and co. judge Bailey on a personal level over the coming weeks, with Bailey claiming his Combine meeting with the team went “great”, could be the most critical factor in what the team do with the #3 pick.

FIRST ROUND TAKEAWAYS: This came down to a process of elimination between the pass-rushers and Bailey was the one most often available at #3, with his 5 votes narrowly edging out Arvell Reese (4) and Rueben Bain Jr. (4). Four votes also went to Caleb Downs with two for Francis Mauigoa and one for Spencer Fano.

Round 2, Pick #34: Max Iheanachor – OT – Arizona State – 6’5″ – 325 lbs – Age undisclosed

It is quite easy to see why Max Iheanachor has become a firm favourite amongst the wider draft community and the Arizona Cardinals fanbase – h/t to @AzJace here – rocketing up draft boards to being discussed as a potential late-first round option.

Having only started playing football in junior college in 2021, emigrating with his family from Nigeria at age 13 and focusing on basketball and football (the round ball variety), Iheanachor established himself as the starting right tackle for a hugely successful ASU team showcasing an NFL-ready blend of size and athleticism.

His basketball background comes to the fore when Iheanachor is able to show off his lateral quickness and light feet which give him the ability to mirror rushers and seal off the run. He combines that natural athleticism with a willingness to meet the rusher in hand-to-hand combat, where his active hands are used to deflect attempts by rushers to dictate the rep and gain control.

For someone that you could easily peg as a “finesse” tackle based on his athletic ability and genetic makeup, Iheanachor presents a competitive streak and isn’t afraid to properly finish blocks, grounding defensive lineman and exerting dominance. At the Senior Bowl, he was at the centre of a couple of the more “tasty” moments with shoving matches breaking out between the ASU man and his opposite numbers who were frustrated at the extra sauce Iheanachor was leaving on reps.

The Senior Bowl itself was a microcosm for Iheanachor’s development at ASU. On the first day, he suffered a couple of bad beats to more experienced peers but from Day 2 onwards it was hard to find a single one-on-one where Iheanachor didn’t win overwhelmingly. He has consistently improved during his time at ASU.

2025 was Iheanachor’s best of his limited career where he didn’t surrender a single sack and was culpable for just 3 QB hits, as he saw career best PFF grades of 72.5 (overall), 78.3 (pass block) and 66.8 (run block), being named Second-team All-Big 12.

His finest outing of the season came against arguably his toughest assignment, keeping David Bailey and Romello Height at bay in ASU’s defeat of Texas Tech.

That limited experience of the sport, never mind the position, does show up though and is a major reason he isn’t spoken of even more highly. His overall understanding of the game can be exploited by stunts as he isn’t up to scratch with recognising things pre-snap and while he does have those active hands, intelligent rushers can get into his chest by beating him to the punch when his timing is off.

When this does happen, he is guilty of holding rather than trying to disengage which has led to penalties in the past (he gave away 8 penalties in 2025). When under stress, his technique can go out of the window and his smooth footwork can become plodding and panicked.

He is also prone to exposing his inside shoulder, perhaps due to feeling that he needs to overcompensate and shrink the target he presents to make up for that lack of timing, which means he can be attacked inside. Zion Young made the most of this during Day 1 of Senior Bowl practices.

There should also be caution when looking at Iheanachor. While he has shown a natural talent and quick uptake to the tackle position, development is not linear. Just because he has got to this level in a short period of time doesn’t mean he can go on to greater heights. He will need a lot of work, particularly to bring his confidence when under stress up to where it is when things are going well, to turn this potential into a finished product but it’s a gamble worth taking especially for a Cardinals team that have a gaping hole at right tackle.

SECOND ROUND TAKEAWAYS: This was more straightforward than the first round with Max’s five votes giving him top billing with a host of runner-ups getting two votes including fellow tackle prospects Monroe Freeling, Caleb Lomu and Blake Miller. Ten players received at least one pick across the twenty mocks, with six of the ten being offensive linemen. It’s likely the Cardinals will address the OL early on in April.

Round 3, Pick #65: Jake Golday – LB – Cincinnati – 6’4″ – 240 lbs – 22 years old

At this time of year, we’re often discussing college middle linebackers that have been or could be shifted out to the edge to rush the passer. Jake Golday’s journey is the opposite.

A former outside linebacker with Central Arkansas where he notched 9 sacks in three seasons, Golday transferred to Cincinnati where he transitioned to middle linebacker in the Bearcats defence and enjoyed a career year in 2025.

He scored PFF grades of 90.6 in run defence and 77.5 in coverage, improved his missed tackle rate to 9% (11.8 in 2024, 13.5 in 2023), tied 17th in the nation for coverage stops (19) and made 104 total tackles.

A fluid athlete, Golday has impressive closing speed on the ball carrier (he can reportedly reach speeds of 22mph) and marries that with clean tackling technique and strength to bring down his intended target. He featured at #48 on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List entering the season due to those speed recordings and after hitting 24 reps of 225-pounds on the bench press.

His discipline, particularly as a player changing roles, is admirable – Golday hasn’t been penalised once in the last four years.

As a player still learning his role, there are areas for improvement. His instincts and ability to diagnose plays are a work in progress, something which will take time, and he can be guilty of staring down the quarterback instead of tracking runners.

The Arizona Cardinals spent a fourth-round pick on Cody Simon last year and have fan favourite Mack Wilson under contract for another year, but they need improved play at the linebacker spots. Teaming Golday’s athletic chops with Simon’s football nous could be a sneaky good tandem especially as teams look to get a bit bigger at the position.

THIRD ROUND TAKEAWAYS: I’m a Jacob Rodriguez guy in this, admittedly, great linebacker class but Golday was available more often here than JRod. There were 11 different selections made in the third round with Golday (3) just pipping Rodriguez, Gennings Dunker, Skyler Bell, Domonique Orange, Darrell Jackson and Jadarian Price (all 2). This round had the most variety so far with eight different positions receiving at least one selection.

Round 4, Pick #104: Keylan Rutledge – OG – Georgia Tech – 6’3″- 316 lbs – 22 years old

If offensive tackles are the personal bodyguards to a quarterback, then I want my guards to be the doormen to the club my quarterback most frequents. They don’t need to be John Wick-esque, ex-Special Forces trained killers but they do need to be able to manhandle some fools when things get lively.

That’s exactly what Keylan Rutledge can do for an NFL team.

If player evaluations came down to one word then Rutledge’s one word would be fighter. A real scrapper in the trenches, the 22-year-old attacks defensive linemen with strong hands and brings the violence on every rep. His coaches at the Senior Bowl had to repeatedly remind Rutledge to tone down the aggression and remember that it was practice.

He shows an innate sense of where his opponent’s chest is to gain the upper hand and quickly extends his 33 6/8″arms to keep oncoming opposition players away from his frame Though he plays with a mean streak, he doesn’t play in a frenzied manner that leaves him overcommitted and off balance. Instead he deploys a solid base that helps him remain in control throughout the play and transfers that into a good brace+anchor technique when facing off against stronger defensive linemen.

Rutledge is an ascending talent at the position, posing career-best numbers at Georgia Tech in 2025. He has given away just two sacks across the last 3 seasons (0 in 2025), been responsible for only 4 QB hits in the same time (2 in 2025) and improved as both a pass blocker (78.4 PFF grade in 2025) and a run blocker (76.8 PFF grade in 2025). His run blocking in particular came on leaps and bounds in 2025.

Quicker than you first imagine, he is comfortable when asked to get to the second level and block in open play. Though it’s the aggression that caught the eye at the Senior Bowl, tempering that in 2025 played a big part in his improved run blocking, giving him a more stable and consistent body position.

He still needs to work on shooting upright out of his stance which can lead to poor pad level, something he improved upon in 2025, and his footwork needs some polish as he can become uncoordinated when faced with movement across his face and body. While he is listed on the NFL website as 316 lbs he will play more towards the 330 range and despite showing flashes along the line at the Senior Bowl, will be best suited at the guard spot in the league where he can eat up some space and give some badass support to a more refined offensive tackle.

FOURTH ROUND TAKEAWAYS: This round saw the most variety with 13 players receiving at least one selection, highlighting how the draft can truly open up on Day 3. This was also the first tiebreak situation as Rutledge and Texas A&M tackle Dametrious Crownover locked at 3 votes apiece. With Iheanachor being the overall pick at #34, Rutledge gets the nod here. The Crownover picks came when a tackle hadn’t been selected in the first two rounds.

Round 5, Pick #141: Mike Washington Jr. – RB – Arkansas – 6’2″ – 228 lbs – 22 years old

If you want to have fun when you’re getting to know some of the players in the 2026 Draft class then watch Mike Washington from Arkansas. The 22-year-old, who spent time at Buffalo and New Mexico before transferring to Arkansas, is a joy to watch when he gets the ball in his hands.

A runner with almost comically large strides, Washington doesn’t have alarming speed off the rip but can quickly go through the gears to reach top speed which, in part, resulted in 17 carries of 15+ yards in 2025 (tied-21st) in a season where he garnered over 1000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. In spite of his long strides, Washington also possesses nimble footwork that means he can easily make cuts and nip in between defenders as running lanes open up.

Having those natural abilities are all well and good, but Washington also has the vision to recognise when those lanes are/aren’t opening up and make the correct choice to gain the most yards. He is decisive in his decision making and never looks frightened to pull the trigger.

Named Second-team All-SEC in 2025, Washington plays with zero fear and is just as comfortable lowering his shoulder into contact as he is blowing past defenders, creating 3.86 yards after contact per attempt last year and totalling 644 yards after contact.

His muscly upper body mean that he can ride high tackles and while his long legs are a target for defenders but house enough lower body strength to make him difficult to bring down at the first attempt while his strides make his movements difficult to judge for would-be tacklers.

On tape, defenders often end up half a yard out in their judgement of when to strike, Wilhelm screaming to the floor as Washington slides past.

When he is brought down, Washington often ends up falling forwards rather than stalling and being pushed backwards, resulting in additional yards.

A factor in the passing game – Washington had 226 receiving yards on 28 receptions in 2025 – he will give himself a great chance to contribute from Day 1 on an NFL roster as he can be utilised on every down.

However, the former Razorback will have to rectify his issue with ball security if he wants to have a lengthy and lucrative NFL career. He has been guilty of 10 fumbles in his career with 3 in 2025. He will also need to drastically improve as a blocker to truly carve out a role as a three down back.

While some running backs struggle as blockers due to effort and desire, Washington simply has poor technique. I would rather that than have someone who doesn’t want to engage in the blocking game. Particularly as a pass blocker, Washington is unsure of where his hands and feet are supposed to be, often reaching out to block with his arms rather than shooting up and using his entire body.

FIFTH ROUND TAKEAWAYS: This was the running back round with four different backs receiving multiple votes. With uncertainty over the future of James Conner and Trey Benson’s struggles, the position group may see a makeover under Mike LaFleur. Washington won the battle of the backs with 3 selections over Kaytron Allen (2), Nicholas Singleton (1) and Seth McGowan (1). Guard Beau Stephens also received 3 votes but with Rutledge going a round previously, Washington won the tiebreak.

Round 6, Pick #181: Cade Klubnik – QB – Clemson – 6’1″ – 206 lbs – 22 years old

It’s no secret that the Arizona Cardinals quarterback of the future is not currently on the roster. That person is likely not in the 2026 draft class either. However, there are a couple of options in the later rounds that could be brought in as a development project. Chief amongst them is Clemson QB Cade Klubnik.

Klubnik’s draft evaluation is very much a tale of two halves. Put on the 2024 tape and you’ll see why some analysts were pegging Klubnik as a contender for the QB1 spot in this draft. At his best, the 22-year-old is an accurate, mobile operator that throws with touch and shows a knack for understanding when to use his legs to expose holes in a defence as a quick and brave runner of the football. Klubnik never looks like he’s trying too hard to throw the football, leading to easily-caught passes for his receivers.

In 2024, the Texas native was responsible for 36 touchdowns (with just 6 interceptions), 3642 passing yards, a 104.4 passer rating and a 62.6% completion percentage.

However, at his worst, Klubnik can unravel. When under pressure, his ability to read through progressions wavers and shines a light on his inconsistent throwing mechanics and footwork. He can get his feet crossed which weakens his platform and consequently leads to an erratic release.

Unfortunately for Klubnik, that side of his game was more apparent in 2025 in a Clemson team that struggled throughout the season. His end product took a major hit with just 16 touchdowns. Not all of Klubnik’s struggles were on him – 20 of his passes were dropped by teammates in 2025 and Klubnik was under pressure on almost a third of snaps – though his lack of elite arm strength meant he wasn’t able to dig the Tigers out of deep holes.

He seemed to grow in confidence against pressure as the season went on and PFF did grade him higher (62.6) under pressure than Ty Simpson, Garrett Nussmeier and Carson Beck.

If a coaching staff can round out the more fragile aspects of his game, there is potential in Klubnik to be *something* at the NFL level, though not at the heights that people may have expected this time last year.

SIXTH ROUND TAKEAWAYS: Cade Klubnik received the most selections overall by any player with seven (two in the fifth round and five here) though it’s difficult to know where he will eventually be selected in a poor QB class at a time when plenty of teams need help at the position. How the Cardinals attack their QB problem this offseason remains a mystery. Center Pat Coogan, Safety Bishop Fitzgerald and receiver Eric Rivers were the “best of the rest” here with two selections each.

Round 7, Pick #217: Cole Wisniewski – S – Texas Tech – 6’4″ – 220 lbs – Age undisclosed

With the successes of Kyle Hamilton and Nick Emmanwori in recent years, the next positional prototype that will become en vogue is likely to be the jumbo-sized safety. In keeping with that, say hello to Cole Wisniewski.

A transfer from North Dakota State, Wisniewski took the jump in competition in his stride when he joined the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2025, joining a defence that was full of NFL ready talent. A fantastic addition to an already talent-rich defence, Wisniewski scored an 83.9 PFF grade as the Red Raiders made it to the College Football Playoffs, showing a particular penchant in coverage.

A rangy defensive back, Wisniewski is able to cover both tight ends and slot receivers (with an 80.6 coverage grade from PFF on over 500 coverage snaps) and has an incredible nose for the ball. At North Dakota State, he recorded an eye-watering 8 interceptions in 2023.

He was also able to make the leap in the run game, with his 84.5 run grade ranking ninth amongst draft-eligible safeties and he tightened up his tackling, lowering his missed tackle rate from 11.7% in 2023 to 10.6% in 2025.

What makes his achievements even more impressive is that Wisniewski missed all of 2024 with a foot injury that he suffered at the end of 2023, meaning he made the crossover to a much higher level of college football while coming back from a major injury.

Texas Tech utilised him more as an additional pass-rusher and run defender than at North Dakota State, with Wisniewski recording six tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a sack.

As a bigger player at the position, there is some stiffness to his game and he isn’t quick. Not receiving a Combine invitation could hurt as he has a more limited chance to prove that he has NFL speed and agility.

A celebrated leader and personality, Wisniewski is an older prospect – there’s some debate over whether he is 23 or 24 already – as a 6-year college player but brings experience and intelligence along with his desirable frame.

SEVENTH ROUND TAKEAWAYS: It’s the seventh round so we’re taking a punt. This came down to Eli Heidenreich, the touted fullback-type, or Wisniewski with three selections each and Wis won with Washington going in the fifth round to eat up some of those rushing/3rd down pass game opportunities. There could be some change at safety with Jalen Thompson set to hit free  agency.

Final Draft: David Bailey, Max Iheanachor, Jake Golday, Keylan Rutledge, Mike Washington Jr., Cade Klubnik, Cole Wisniewski

Image Credits: Kevin Abele/Icon Sports, Scott Winters/Icon Sports, Sports Illustrated, Getty Images, Wesley Hale/Imagn Images