The 2026 NFL draft is over, and now the focus shifts to grades. Grades are reactions to players selected based on expectations, fit and other players on the board.
What do people thing of what the Arizona Cardinals did in the draft?
Kiper, a staunch opponent of drafting running backs in the first round, was just fine with the Cardinals taking a running back third overall.
Love is not a running back in the classical sense. He's a dynamic offensive playmaker who is going to spark an otherwise dull Arizona offense. He's a Reggie Bush clone with incredible vision and burst, and with 4.36 speed, he can go the distance any time he touches the football. Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry last season, he hit nine 20-yard gains (tied for 10th in the FBS) and he forced 60 missed tackles (top 20).
All of that puts him in the first round, but what takes him into another tier and makes him worthy of such a high selection is his ability in the passing game. I'd bet Hackett will get him lined up out wide or in the slot. He will be sprinting out into the flat for quick gains and after-the-catch opportunities. Love has soft hands and runs good routes. Arizona isn't solely going to hand the ball off to him; it is going to target him often in the pass game. The RB room is certainly crowded now, with Allgeier and James Conner, but Love jumps to the top of the list. Heck, the Cardinals could even get two of them on the field, with Love out wide. They have a lot of options and opportunities for creativity, and this pick will absolutely energize the fan base.
He believes second-round pick Chase Bisontis should be the Cardinals' starting right guard, and he had posiyoive things to say about quarterback Carson Beck, selected in the third round. He wasn't sure Beck's abilities push him ahead of Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, but "he's a worthy shot" and doesn't impact 2027 plans.
But the lack of attention to the defense, which was bad in 2025, is what lowered the grade.
If LaFleur can just get Marvin Harrison Jr. on track, there's some hope for this offense. Even if the real QB answer doesn't come until next year, the surrounding players are starting to fall into place. That said, the defense needs to play some catch-up, too. The Cards didn't make a single defensive pick until Kaleb Proctor at No. 104, and they didn't do much there in free agency, either. That kept Arizona in "B" territory.
The Cardinals' draft left plenty of questions. They entered with clear needs at tackle and at the defensive edge. They didn't darft a tackle until the seventh round and, as they did in free agency, ignored the edge. The players the Cardinals drafted could be solid, but does the roster look any better now? Not really, except at running back.
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Raiders draft Fernando MendozaJets draft David BaileyCardinals draft Jeremiyah LoveTitans draft Carnell TateGiants draft Arvell ReeseChiefs, Browns trade picksChiefs draft Mansoor DelaneCommanders draft Sonny StylesSaints draft Jordyn TysonBrowns draft Spencer FanoGiants draft Francis MauigoaCowboys draft Caleb DownsDolphins draft Kadyn ProctorRams draft Ty SimpsonRavens draft Vega IaoneBucs draft Reuben Bain Jr.Jets draft Kenyon SadiqLions draft Blake MillerVikings draft Caleb BanksPanthers draft Monroe FreelingCowboys, Eagles trade picksEagles draft Makai LemonSteelers draft Max IheanachorChargers draft Akheem MesidorCowboys draft Malachi LawrenceBrowns draft KC ConcepcionBears draft Dillon ThienemanBills, Texans trade picksTexans draft Keylan Rutledge49ers, Dolphins trade picksDolphins draft Chris JohnsonBills, Texans trade picksPatriots draft Caleb LomuChiefs draft Peter Woods49ers and Jets trade picksJets draft Omar CooperBills, Titans trade picksTitans draft Keldric FaulkSeahawks draft Jadarian Price1 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Raiders draft Fernando Mendoza1 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Raiders draft Fernando Mendoza2 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Jets draft David Bailey3 / 39The Arizona Cardinals' 2026 draft classCardinals draft Jeremiyah Love4 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Titans draft Carnell Tate5 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Giants draft Arvell Reese6 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Chiefs, Browns trade picks7 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Chiefs draft Mansoor Delane8 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Commanders draft Sonny Styles9 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Saints draft Jordyn Tyson10 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Browns draft Spencer Fano11 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Giants draft Francis Mauigoa12 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Cowboys draft Caleb Downs13 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Dolphins draft Kadyn Proctor14 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Rams draft Ty Simpson15 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Ravens draft Vega Iaone16 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Bucs draft Reuben Bain Jr.17 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Jets draft Kenyon Sadiq18 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Lions draft Blake Miller19 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Vikings draft Caleb Banks20 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Panthers draft Monroe Freeling21 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Cowboys, Eagles trade picks22 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Eagles draft Makai Lemon23 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Steelers draft Max Iheanachor24 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Chargers draft Akheem Mesidor25 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Cowboys draft Malachi Lawrence26 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Browns draft KC Concepcion27 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Bears draft Dillon Thieneman28 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Bills, Texans trade picks29 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Texans draft Keylan Rutledge30 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 149ers, Dolphins trade picks31 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Dolphins draft Chris Johnson32 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Bills, Texans trade picks33 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Patriots draft Caleb Lomu34 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Chiefs draft Peter Woods35 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 149ers and Jets trade picks36 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Jets draft Omar Cooper37 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Bills, Titans trade picks38 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Titans draft Keldric Faulk39 / 392026 NFL draft results: Full results of picks, trades in Round 1Seahawks draft Jadarian PriceThis article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL draft grades: Mel Kiper dings Arizona Cardinals in one area