Week 9 of the NFL season will conclude with the Arizona Cardinals visiting the Dallas Cowboys in a game stocked with storylines.
Dallas -- the walking, talking, news cycle of a football team -- has no shortage of punditry, much of it focused on Tuesday's trade deadline and the rumors spread from owner Jerry Jones. While fans wait for the Cowboys to announce who they've traded for, it is clear that they consider themselves buyers, even at 3-4-1.
The Cardinals are anything but. Jacoby Brissett has made this offense better in relief of Kyler Murray. That in itself is a problem. However, Arizona will enter Monday as losers of five straight games, ensuring that issues run deeper than the quarterback position. Each of these teams has major flaws on opposite sides of the ball, setting the scene for a pivotal 2026 NFL Draft.
Arizona Cardinals three-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 8: Francis Mauigoa, Offensive Tackle, Miami
It is becoming increasingly uncertain whether Murray is this team's future, but there is no future in which Arizona has a successful offense without running the ball well.
Jonah Williams has struggled this year, and the interior remains a sore spot on this offensive line. The Cardinals could use upgrades at either guard spot, and there's a chance that Mauigoa slides inside at the next level.
Mauigoa is one of the few offensive tackles in this class that hasn't stumbled their way through the first half of the season. He's earned the right to try playing tackle on Sundays before a position change, and a more physical front would do Arizona well.
Round 2, Pick 40: Garrett Nussmeier, Quarterback, LSU
Between the Cardinals' proximity to the playoffs, a flawed roster, and a quality NFC, what are the odds that Murray wins a Super Bowl in Arizona? It's lower than 10 percent. But five? One?
It's hard to envision an answer that inspires optimism. Subsequently, acquiring a new quarterback may be a matter of whether another team is willing to take Murray off the Cardinals' hands.
In either event, Nussmeier makes a good amount of sense. He's battled through a torso injury, limiting his rotational capacity and making life difficult in his final season at LSU. While that has dampened his stock, he's still excellent pre-snap and makes more plays than his tools would suggest. Getting a new quarterback in the building gives Arizona flexibility, and taking on a pro-ready passer rather than a project could accelerate that timeline.
Round 3, Pick 72: Dontay Corleone, Defensive Tackle, Cincinnati
Corleone's frame has me hooked. At 6-1, 320 pounds, he packs a ton of power into a relatively dense frame. This gives him an avenue to winning against different types of centers, using leverage to his advantage against taller linemen and mass to overpower smaller ones.
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There's a world in which he's just a nose tackle, limiting his stock. Still, Arizona is merely average against the run on a down-to-down basis. As a part-time rookie with starter potential, Corleone would inject new life into an unsteady unit.
Dallas Cowboys three-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 14: Avieon Terrell, Cornerback, Clemson
I have written about few non-quarterbacks as much as Terrell throughout the season, and for good reason. He came into the year with late-Round 1 hype and has backed it up, looking like the best defensive back on a defense that has buckled under the weight of expectations.
Terrell is the type of playmaker Dallas covets in its secondary. Yet, his processing and toughness elevate his floor. His willingness to get his hands dirty could push him into the slot at the next level, but he's capable of playing both man and zone well, regardless of alignment. This defense is fundamentally broken. A top-15 prospect ought to help.
Round 1, Pick 26: David Bailey, Edge Rusher, Texas Tech
Every passing week makes it look like Bailey will go earlier than No. 26. For now, Dallas gets a Micah Parsons replacement in the mold of a high-octane speed rusher.
Bailey is freakishly athletic and a pro-ready pass rusher. His technique his strong, his bend is among the best in the class, and he converts speed to power better than one would expect.
This season, Bailey has taken a significant step forward as a run defender, adding credibility to his game and boosting his stock. The pass rush hasn't been the culprit many expected after Parsons was dealt, but a new threat would allow everybody else to take on a more manageable role.
Round 2, Pick 46: C.J. Allen, Linebacker, Georgia
Allen has a decent chance of being off the board this deep into Day 2; sometimes, teams are fortunate on draft day.
Allen is everything Dallas needs in a linebacker. He blends athleticism and discipline, honing his processing in the middle of Georgia's defense and racking up splash plays in the process. The Cowboys don't need a 230-pound de facto safety in the second level. They need to stop the run, and Allen's throwback play style makes him an exceptional option on early downs (with the athleticism to stay on the field on passing downs).
Stopping the run to control the game becomes paramount in January. If Dallas wants to make some noise late in the year, a linebacker of this ilk is necessary.
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