The 2025 season has been one to forget for the Arizona Cardinals, as the team sits at 3–10 heading into the final stretch of the season. As it stands, the team holds onto the sixth pick in April’s draft.
The NFL Draft is the easiest thing to speculate on for Cardinals fans, as most of the factors that are subject to change won’t take place until the season’s end. For example, we don’t know if head coach Jonathan Gannon will retain his job, so it’s best not to speculate.
However, regarding the NFL Draft, it is easy for people to conduct their own mock drafts and project what their team is going to do at one of the league’s most prominent offseason events.
Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic released a mock draft just after the College Football Playoff committee announced what the bracket would look like for the teams that made it. Baumgardner projects the Cardinals to go offense, as well as down a familiar path from two years ago.
Cardinals select WR Carnell Tate at pick No. 6 in the 2026 NFL Draft
Baumgardner believes general manager Monti Ossenfort to follow a near identical path to the one he was guided down in 2024, when the team selected Marvin Harrison Jr. at pick No. 4.
In his latest mock, he predicts the Cardinals to select wide receiver Carnell Tate, out of Ohio State. In his junior season with the Buckeyes, Tate has hauled in 48 receptions for 838 yards and nine touchdowns.
Playing alongside a generational talent in Jeremiah Smith, Tate has been a difference maker for sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin. When Smith is covered, Tate serves as a security blanket for the young quarterback. The trio is looking to win back-to-back national championships as they await the winner of Texas A&M and Miami.
If Arizona were to follow through on this, could you imagine what a duo of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Carnell Tate would look like? Factor in Michael Wilson and Trey McBride as well, and you have an incredibly solid group of pass catchers.
The one question that needs answering ahead of who the Cardinals will select is…who will be the under center for Arizona in 2026? Only time will tell.
However, for now, the Cardinals need to prepare for their road trip to Houston, where they will take on the Texans (8–5) at 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time.