Cardinals take a chance to try and find their Kyler Murray replacement at quarterback in a new 2026 NFL mock draft
A new 2026 NFL mock draft has a top Kyler Murray replacement option fall into the Cardinals’ lap, and they take advantage of the opportunity.
The Arizona Cardinals made the very tough decision this offseason to move on from former number one overall pick Kyler Murray. The team decided to bring in a new head coach, hiring the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator, Mike Lefleur, and with that change already in the works, elected to also move on from their quarterback.
This creates real uncertainty for the Cardinals in the short term and the long-term future. The team currently has Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew in their quarterback room, but you’d have to imagine they’re doing work on the quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL draft.
A new mock draft from A to Z Sports has the Cardinals taking a risk to find their franchise quarterback, but they do it outside of round one, landing a prospect who, at one point last season, was in discussions to be the number one overall pick.
Cardinals select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in a new mock draft
“There is a lot of talk about the Cardinals and Ty Simpson. Some see using the third pick in the draft as too rich, others think that if Arizona waits until 34, he will be long gone. It worked for the Cardinals in this mock, but Simpson has a real chance to hear his name called night one due to his precision passing and intangibles. – Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst
Brissett was solid for Arizona last year, and he and Minshew are both well respected in each locker room they’ve ever been in. But at this stage of their careers, either as a team’s starter isn’t going to result in a whole lot of wins.
So adding a quarterback in this draft or trading for a young quarterback should, without a doubt, be on the table. After Fernando Mendoza goes off the board at one, there’s some mystery about when the next signal callers in the class will hear their names called.
The consensus is that Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson will be the second quarterback off the board, with some believing he could be a first-round pick. In this mock, he falls into round two, but lands in a spot where he would have a real chance to compete to be their starter next season. Simpson would give the team a high-upside quarterback who, at the halfway point of last season, was viewed as a top Heisman candidate and a potential number one overall pick.
He would give the fan base something to be excited about, and if he doesn’t work out, it would be easy for Arizona to move on and be heavily involved in the quarterback class in the 2027 NFL Draft. Seems like a low-risk move to me, and it could pay off with a massive reward.
Quarterback Ty Simpson’s college stats
- 2022: 4 games, 4/5 pass attempts (80%), 35 yards
- 2023: 6 games, 11/20 pass attempts (55%), 179 yards
- 2024: 6 games, 14/25 (56%), 167 yards
- 2025: 15 games, 305/473 (64.5%), 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
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