A little over two months since the Seattle Seahawks downed the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl, the new season of the NFL is officially ready to kick off in full on Thursday night in Pittsburgh for the 2026 NFL Draft.
While the world’s worst-kept secret is that the Las Vegas Raiders will be selecting Heisman Award winner and national champion quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick, the fun begins after the Indiana signal-caller puts on the silver and black for the first time.
As we count down the clock until Thursday, per Kalshi, the prediction website, there is a sudden new favorite to go No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals.
Here’s the trio of favorites to head to the desert on Thursday night.
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Jeremiyah Love (32%)
When the Cardinals locked down the third slot in the draft, it felt like they’d take the smart, traditional route of taking the best offensive tackle on the board to start building a foundation for the future.
But as the weeks have gone on, and with news that top lineman Francis Mauigoa might need back surgery in the near future, that narrative has shifted.
Now, the night before their selection, the Notre Dame star running back is the favorite to go to the Cardinals, shooting up to 32% after being as low as 5% a month ago.
David Bailey (31%)
Arvell Reese (25%)
If we expect a more straightforward route for the Cardinals, it’d be selecting either linebacker Reese from Ohio State or defensive end Bailey from Texas Tech.
The Jets are heavily favored to take either of the top two defensive prospects with the No. 2 pick, which would leave the Cardinals with the simpler choice: taking whichever is left over from the Jets.
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