At this point, "way-too-early" mock drafts are an annual tradition. Analysts speculate about potential draft picks a year before they're set to happen. Usually, they're wrong. They're called "way-too-early" for a reason. In last year's version, PFF had the Dallas Cowboys taking quarterback Quinn Ewers in the first round. Ewers was taken by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round.
Still, these mock drafts serve as a fun pairing of remaining team needs across the NFL and an early look at next year's top prospects.
In an early 2026 NFL mock draft on NBC Sports, the Arizona Cardinals help out Kyler Murray by drafting him a new weapon.
Arizona Cardinals select Clemson receiver Antonio Williams in early 2026 mock draft
The Cardinals have aggressively added to their defensive talent throughout the 2025 offseason. From free agency to the draft, they have opted to fix their defense instead of supporting their offense nearly every step of the way.
Arizona's offense was fine last season. By many metrics, they were among the top ten offenses in the league. But Kyler Murray and coordinator Drew Petzing were limited by one thing: They lacked any sort of deep threat at receiver.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has the ability to stretch the field deep, but the Cardinals mostly used him on short and intermediate routes. As a result, the field became too congested for Arizona's passing game to truly thrive.
We've mentioned before that the Cardinals need to add a speedy receiver to open up their offense. Eric Froton, an NFL Analyst at NBC Sports, has them doing just that in his initial 2026 mock draft.
Froton has the Cardinals selecting Clemson wideout Antonio Williams with the 17th pick (his draft order was determined by PFF's mock draft simulator).
Antonio Williams is about to enter his junior season at Clemson, so it's no guarantee that he would even enter next year's draft. If he does, he's expected to be among the top prospects.
Williams is an excellent route runner who can play on the outside or in the slot. According to early scouting reports, he's good at a lot of things without being truly great at anything.
If the Cardinals do end up taking a receiver in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, it'll be the third time in four years that they've used their first pick on offense. If Kyler Murray and Drew Petzing can't live up to expectations this season, the Cardinals may have to find them some help through the draft.