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PFF’s Plocher mocks Cardinals taking Ty Simpson, Kadyn Proctor in trade down
Pro Football Focus’ Jordan Plocher mocked the Arizona Cardinals buying and selling down in the primary spherical of the 2026 NFL Draft to fill two of their greatest wants on the roster.
Plocher mocks the Cardinals buying and selling the No. 3 decide to the Cowboys for the No. 12 and No. 20 picks. Dallas would use the No. 3 choice on Notre Dame operating again Jeremiyah Love. The Cardinals would then use the No. 12 and No. 20 picks to pick out Alabama offensive sort out Kadyn Proctor and quarterback Ty Simpson, respectively.
Plocher stated Simpson offers the Cardinals a possible quarterback of the long run and that with Jacoby Brissett headed into the 2026 season because the probably starter, Simpson could have the chance to study below the veteran to start out the yr.
It’s unclear at this level if Ty Simpson will hear his title referred to as on Day 1 or Day 2, however in this mock draft, the Cardinals use their second decide of the primary spherical to accumulate him as their quarterback of the long run — one choice earlier than the place he has been closely mocked, to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jacoby Brissett can begin for so long as needed till the Cardinals are able to transition to the rookie.
Simpson threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions with Alabama final season and was one of many principal stars that lead the Crimson Tide to the 2025-26 College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
However, Simpson’s play did drop off in the second half of the season as he threw for not more than 232 yards in Alabama’s closing 5 video games with six touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He struggled all through the Rose Bowl in opposition to Indiana, finishing simply 12 of 16 passes for 67 yards and exited the sport in the third quarter with a rib harm at a 38-3 loss.
Plocher added that whereas his dip in the second half raises considerations, his good begin to final season nonetheless makes him a high prospect in the draft.
Simpson’s lack of begins (solely 13) and dip in play in the latter half of the 2025 season (53.1 PFF passing grade over final two video games) are the large considerations with him as a prospect. He nonetheless completed the season with an 81.4 PFF passing grade and confirmed flashes of high-level play in the sooner a part of the schedule (93.8 PFF passing grade in opposition to Wisconsin and a 90.8 PFF passing grade in opposition to Vanderbilt).
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Simpson because the Twenty fifth-best prospect and the second-best quarterback behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who’s the No. 1 draft prospect.
In the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker, Simpson has been mocked to the Cardinals as soon as with the No. 3 decide.
The Cardinals’ quarterback room past 2026 stays one of many greatest, if not the most important, query marks in Arizona following the discharge of Kyler Murray. While Brissett is probably going the beginning quarterback headed into the season with veteran Gardner Minshew and 2025 holdover Kedon Slovis backing him up, all three quarterbacks are free brokers after this season.
How would Kadyn Proctor match on the Cardinals?
Proctor performed 40 video games throughout three seasons with the Crimson Tide. During his time at Alabama, Proctor racked up a number of honors, together with the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy (2025), All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors (2025), Second-Team All-SEC (2024) and Freshman All-American (2023).
Kiper ranks Proctor because the third-best offensive sort out and 18th-best draft prospect, behind Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, who’re listed because the No. 1 and No. 2 sort out prospects, respectively.
Plocher stated that the trade nonetheless lands the Cardinals with one of many high tackles in the draft, and the 20-year-old’s means to play at sort out or guard offers him a excessive ceiling as a draft prospect.
After buying and selling down 9 spots and buying an additional first-rounder, the Cardinals are nonetheless capable of land a high offensive lineman. Arizona banks on Proctor’s mixture of measurement (6-foot-6 5/8 and 352 kilos), power and youth (will probably be 20 when he is drafted) as a secure high-floor prospect with a probably very excessive ceiling. In 2025, Proctor allowed two sacks, 4 quarterback hits and 15 hurries on 611 pass-blocking snaps and posted an 84.2 PFF pass-blocking grade. The Cardinals may use assist at a number of positions on the offensive line, so if Proctor would not match at sort out, he can play guard.
Offensive line stays one of many Cardinals’ greatest areas of want regardless of Arizona signing a number of linemen in free company, together with Isaac Seumalo, Matt Pryor and Olisaemeka Udoh.
The Cardinals’ offensive line struggled all through final season and was hit arduous by accidents. Arizona noticed a number of gamers miss quite a few video games attributable to accidents, together with proper sort out Jonah Williams, left sort out Paris Johnson Jr. and left guards Evan Brown and Jon Gaines II. Center Hjalte Froholdt and guard Isaiah Adams had been the one beginning linemen to play in all 17 video games.
