The Arizona Cardinals didn’t have the season they hoped for, finishing with 14 losses. But if there’s a silver lining to that kind of year, it’s this: a premium spot in every round of the NFL Draft. And for a franchise still in the thick of a rebuild, that’s a big deal.
Arizona holds the No. 3 overall pick in the first round, followed by the No. 34 pick in the second, and the first selection of the third round at No. 65. The Cardinals will rotate high in each round alongside the Raiders and Titans, which sets them up with prime opportunities to land impact players throughout the draft.
But here’s the catch - and it’s a significant one. The 2026 draft pool is noticeably thinner than usual, particularly when it comes to underclassmen.
Only 63 underclassmen declared this year, including 42 with special eligibility. That’s a steep drop from previous years, when the number has climbed as high as 126.
That means fewer blue-chip prospects for teams like Arizona to choose from, despite having seven total picks. And when you’re trying to build through the draft - as every successful franchise does - that matters.
One of the biggest names to pass on the draft was Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, a projected top-five pick by many analysts. Some mock drafts even had him slotted to go No. 2 overall to the Jets. His decision to stay in school shifts the quarterback landscape and removes a potential franchise-changing option from the board.
The Cardinals can still address needs in free agency when it opens in mid-March, but the draft remains the foundation. That’s where rosters are built for the long haul, and that’s why early-entry players are so important - they’re often the elite athletes who can tilt a roster’s trajectory almost overnight.
So why the drop-off? One word: NIL.
Name, Image, and Likeness deals have changed the game. In the past, the only path to big money was through the NFL. Now, top college players can cash in while staying in school - and in some cases, those paydays rival or even surpass what they’d make on a rookie contract, especially if they’re not projected as first-rounders.
Take Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, for example. He’s officially entered the 2026 draft after exhausting his eligibility, but he’s fighting to get one more year in college.
Chambliss played just one season at Ole Miss but made it count. His camp is now arguing that two of his seasons at Ferris State shouldn’t count due to medical issues, and he’s filed a lawsuit seeking another year of eligibility.
Why? Because his NIL potential is massive.
His agent believes that if he stayed in school, Chambliss could ink the largest NIL deal ever. Right now, he’s projected as a third-round pick - not exactly a guaranteed payday.
So from his perspective, staying in college might actually be the more lucrative option.
And Chambliss isn’t alone. Several high-profile names have opted to return to school instead of turning pro. Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Texas quarterback Arch Manning, and Ole Miss edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen all decided to run it back for another season.
It’s not hard to understand why. College players with strong NIL deals get paid, avoid the grind of NFL practices, stay in familiar systems, and often remain the stars of their campus.
There’s less pressure, more control, and - if their team is good - a legitimate shot at a championship run. For many, that beats starting their pro career on a struggling NFL team.
Of course, the NFL still holds the long-term financial upside - but that window is getting shorter. Players have to maximize their earnings before they hit 30, because those second and third contracts aren’t always guaranteed.
So the draft calculus is changing. What used to be a no-brainer - declare early, get paid, start your career - is now a more nuanced decision. For the Cardinals and other teams picking high, it means fewer elite underclassmen to choose from and more emphasis on scouting the full board.
Arizona still has the draft capital to make a splash. But in a year where the talent pool is a little shallower, they’ll need to be sharp.
The right picks could accelerate the rebuild. The wrong ones?
Well, they could keep the Cardinals stuck in the cycle they’re trying to break.