You've always got to expect the unexpected when it comes to the NFL Draft, but even after exploring tons of scenarios, the league still finds ways to surprise.
Charles Davis of NFL.com is one of the best in the business when it comes to evaluating prospects and analyzing team fits at the next level, and he recently just dropped a brand-new 2026 NFL mock draft with a shocking pick in the top 3 overall.
Davis has the Arizona Cardinals taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 3rd overall pick, an idea we've already said might not be the best idea for the current state of that team entering the 2026 season.
Charles Davis mock draft has Cardinals taking Ty Simpson at No. 3 overall
Here's what Davis had to say about the Cardinals taking Simpson in his mock draft, which he clarified may not be the spot they actually select him.
"Last year, I opined in one of my early mocks that Jaxson Dart would go to the Giants with the third overall pick, but I didn't stick with the pairing as the process unfolded. Dart, of course, ultimately ended up with New York after Big Blue traded back into the first round and selected the quarterback at No. 25. This year, I think Simpson ends up with the Cardinals, even if this is not the spot where they pick him."
- Charles Davis, NFL.com
This isn't the first time we've seen a mock draft projection where the Cardinals take Simpson in the 1st round. And the idea still doesn't make a ton of sense for that team's current context.
The Cardinals have every reason to see how this year goes with a bridge quarterback and not hitch their wagon to a young quarterback prospect who only has one year of starting experience. The Cardinals moved on from former #1 overall pick Kyler Murray this offseason, sending a clear signal that they are entering a rebuilding mode.
With the 2027 NFL Draft class looking so much stronger at the quarterback position, it would be a little shocking for a team with the Cardinals' context to take a chance on Simpson. As talented as Simpson is, is he really the sort of can't-miss prospect that could transform that franchise?
This Cardinals team feels like it needs too many foundational pieces elsewhere on the roster to really be a good fit for somone like Simpson, but that will have more to do with how new head coach Mike LaFleur views him.
If LaFleur views Simpson as a great fit for his offense, and the ownership in Arizona signs off on it, then teams have to roll with their convictions. But if they use the 3rd overall pick on him, it would undoubtedly mean a multi-year investment in his development, which could cause them to pass on the 2027 class...unless history were to repeat itself (see: Josh Rosen & Kyler Murray).