Brugler: Cardinals’ 2026 draft class near middle of the pack

In the aftermath of the 2026 NFL Draft, reactions and draft grades for the Arizona Cardinals’ 2026 class have ranged from high marks to middling.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler opted more for the latter option by ranking the Cardinals as the No. 15 overall draft class in his team-by-team rankings.

Out of the seven picks Arizona made, Brugler went with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love as his favorite.

Despite his selection at the No. 3 overall spot sparking a whirlwind of mixed responses from draft experts, Brugler argues that the potentially game-changing ability of Love, whom he ranked as his No. 2 overall prospect, helps even things out.

Chase Bisontis will upgrade the offensive line, but it’s hard not to go with Love. We can debate the strategy to draft this position given the current state of the roster, but the Cardinals came away with the draft’s most explosive weapon. Though the value can be criticized, Love is immediately going to make Arizona’s offense exponentially better.

Brugler also named Southeastern Louisiana defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor as the team’s Day 3 pick who could surprise.

After earning Southland Conference Player of the Year honors in his final season with the Lions, Proctor became the first FCS player to be picked during the draft and joins a DL room that includes 2025 first-round pick Walter Nolen III and 2024 first-round pick Darius Robinson.

Despite ranking him as the No. 161 overall prospect and labeling him a fifth-round talent, Brugler could see the 6-foot-2, 291-pound defensive tackle emerging as a Day 3 difference-maker for a team that finished near the bottom in most defensive metrics last year and is unsure of whether or not veteran Calais Campbell will return next season.

Reggie Virgil was a great pick in the fifth round, and Karson Sharar will quickly earn his keep on special teams. But Proctor has a chance to become an important building block on the defensive front. He moves well for a 291-pounder and has a knack for defeating blocks.

Brugler handed the Cardinals the highest post-draft ranking out of any team in the NFC West, with the Seattle Seahawks (No. 25), San Francisco 49ers (No. 27) and Los Angeles Rams (No. 30) all falling near the bottom.

The Arizona Cardinals’ 2026 NFL Draft class

Round 1 (No. 3 overall): Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

Round 2 (No. 34 overall): Texas A&M OG Chase Bisontis

Round 3 (No. 65 overall): Miami QB Carson Beck

Round 4 (No. 104 overall): SE Louisiana DL Kaleb Proctor

Round 5 (No. 143 overall): Texas Tech WR Reggie Virgil

Round 6 (No. 183 overall): Iowa LB Karson Sharar

Round 7 (No. 217 overall): Ole Miss OT Jayden Williams

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