2026 NFL draft: Cardinals decision could alter Titans' plans at No. 4
· Yahoo Sports
The 2026 NFL draft is less than three weeks away, and mock drafts are popping up in abundance. The only thing they agree on? The Las Vegas Raiders will select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
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After that? The New York Jets have plenty of needs, but most experts have them leaning toward an edge rusher, and the Arizona Cardinals seem to be a complete mystery, and what the Cardinals do could have a very direct impact on what the Tennessee Titans do with the No. 4 pick.
On a recent episode of The Todd McShay Show, McShay revealed some information that could alter what the Titans' current plans are with their first-round pick.
“Number three, Cardinals. One source is saying, I know Schefter said that the clock starts on Jeremiyah Love at number five, he’s not going to Tennessee. Um, I know there’s someone in that (Cardinals) building that is pushing really, really hard for Jeremiyah Love that has a say," he said.
"Okay. Then I get another person, and I’ve seen this in like mock drafts, and people have been talking about this. It wasn’t surprising, but another person said trading out of three remains one of the priorities or one of the things that could absolutely happen with Arizona. There’s a lot of buzz about Dallas. And I think that’s the noise of Dallas trading up from 12 to 3 to get Bailey, right.”
It's pretty unlikely that the Cardinals select Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 pick. They have a very expensive running backs room as it is, and adding Love doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Not that they won't do it, McShay's sources are typically reliable, but that line of thinking is interesting.
“Arizona could be trading out of that spot,” McShay continued. “A team could be trying to trade up for an edge, specifically David Bailey. And I also say to you, there’s someone in that building, according to my source, that is pushing really hard for, let’s just take the best player in this draft at three, but they still need an offensive tackle. They still need edge.”
The prospect of any trade certainly adds drama to an event that already has people on the edge of their seats. Should the Cardinals trade back, it's almost certain that whichever team trades up wants an edge rusher. This draft class has a handful of talented edge rushers, and several teams need help at the position. The Dallas Cowboys are one team that could do it, but they aren't the only one.
The Titans are most likely to select a defensive player with their No. 4 overall pick, and most predict it to be Rueben Bain Jr. or David Bailey. But if both are gone, and Arvell Reese is gone as expected, then what? This is when the Titans could land a dynamic linebacker like Sonny Styles or an athletic safety like Caleb Downs. The Titans could even opt to trade back, too, and see where things land.
The draft always provides a few surprises, if not more, and you never know what teams are going to do.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Cardinals decision could alter Titans' plans at No. 4