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The Arizona Cardinals have been pretty widely praised for the class they selected during the 2025 NFL Draft.
That class was loaded with defensive players and included one of the draft's biggest steals in Will Johnson.
Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti OssenfortPatrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Despite the success the Cardinals had adding defensive talent in this year's draft, Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman think they'll take another defender in the first round of the 2026 draft.
In their way too early 2026 mock draft, Chadwick and Wasserman predicted the Cardinals would select Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. with the 17th pick in the draft.
I have a couple of issues with this pick. The first is the idea that the Cardinals will be picking 17th in 2026.
They just picked 16th this year and have a much better roster now than they did last season. Their division has also gotten weaker this offseason.
The other issue is that I don't think we're going to be looking at the edge as an area of need for the Cardinals at this time next season.
They already have one side of the defense taken care of after they signed Josh Sweat this offseason. He's under contract for the next four years.
The other side remains a bit of a question mark right now, but the team may already have their answer on the roster.
The Cardinals spent an early second-round pick on B.J. Ojulari just two years ago.
He had four sacks as a rookie and flashed some potential before losing his second NFL season to an injury.
If he develops in his second year of NFL action, the Cardinals shouldn't be going anywhere near an edge early in the 2026 draft.
It's not a certainty that he'll be the guy, but the possibility that he could be is enough to make me think the Cardinals will be looking at a different position in round one of next year's draft.
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That class was loaded with defensive players and included one of the draft's biggest steals in Will Johnson.
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Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti OssenfortPatrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Despite the success the Cardinals had adding defensive talent in this year's draft, Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman think they'll take another defender in the first round of the 2026 draft.
In their way too early 2026 mock draft, Chadwick and Wasserman predicted the Cardinals would select Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. with the 17th pick in the draft.
I have a couple of issues with this pick. The first is the idea that the Cardinals will be picking 17th in 2026.
They just picked 16th this year and have a much better roster now than they did last season. Their division has also gotten weaker this offseason.
The other issue is that I don't think we're going to be looking at the edge as an area of need for the Cardinals at this time next season.
They already have one side of the defense taken care of after they signed Josh Sweat this offseason. He's under contract for the next four years.
The other side remains a bit of a question mark right now, but the team may already have their answer on the roster.
The Cardinals spent an early second-round pick on B.J. Ojulari just two years ago.
He had four sacks as a rookie and flashed some potential before losing his second NFL season to an injury.
If he develops in his second year of NFL action, the Cardinals shouldn't be going anywhere near an edge early in the 2026 draft.
It's not a certainty that he'll be the guy, but the possibility that he could be is enough to make me think the Cardinals will be looking at a different position in round one of next year's draft.
Related: Cardinals' Biggest Winners During 2025 NFL Draft
Related: Cardinals Sent a Clear Message This Offseason, Especially With Their 2025 NFL Draft Picks
Related: Cardinals Sent a Clear Message This Offseason, Especially With Their 2025 NFL Draft Picks
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