It is draft day, and that means it’s time for the Gambo 5. Arizona Sports host John Gambadoro names a group of five players, and he guarantees one of them will be picked by the Arizona Cardinals if they stay put at No. 3 overall.
While we have had the Gambo 5 finished for several days now, we debated whether to release it or not — just because one of five players with the No. 3 overall is just not as challenging as past drafts when Arizona was further down the order.
In those, we nailed Walter Nolen III, Zaven Collins, Isaiah Simmons and Haason Reddick, plus Josh Rosen being the only QB they would move up for — and even second rounders like Budda Baker.
We did do a Gambo 5 for the Marvin Harrison Jr. draft where he was the fourth overall pick.
But in the end, enough people still wanted to see what a Gambo 5 for this NFL Draft would look like.
We even debated knocking it down to three prospects, but for as long as I have done this with the Suns and Cardinals drafts, and even the ASU basketball coaching search, it has always been five. So, we will keep it that way.
What this does not take into consideration is a trade. We cannot anticipate trading when we are doing this, so if the Cardinals trade down, we can no longer guarantee it will be one of these picks.
So, without further ado, The Gambo 5.
– Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame RB
– David Bailey, Texas Tech pass rusher
– Francis Mauigoa, Miami offensive tackle
– Arvell Reese, Ohio State pass rusher
– Rueben Bain Jr., Miami pass rusher
And for the record, I do believe they stick and pick at No. 3 instead of trading down like many are anticipating.
Diving into the Cardinals’ Gambo 5 for the 2026 NFL Draft
By Tyler Drake
Arvell Reese, Ohio State pass rusher
After playing off the ball in 2024, Reese made the move to pass rusher last season.
His athleticism made up for his rawness at the position, with Reese registering 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in 14 games played.
His name has been heavily linked to the Cardinals’ No. 3 pick this draft cycle. In the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker, Reese has been linked to the Cardinals the third-most times.
The big question for Reese centers around where exactly he fits positionally. While he called himself a pass rusher at the NFL Draft Combine, he’s got a ways to go in refining his craft off the edge. Can he play there full-time at the NFL level?
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame running back
The chatter around Love and the Cardinals has only picked up this week, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting Monday that the running back prospect was in play for Arizona at No. 3.
Love is a dynamic athlete and is coming off 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last year. He added 27 catches for 280 receiving yards and three more scores.
There is, however, the fact that Arizona already sports a crowded running backs room.
On top of revising James Conner’s contract, Arizona also brought back Bam Knight and signed Tyler Allgeier in free agency. Trey Benson is still around, too. Maybe the room works itself out in training camp, but it’s hard to imagine adding another running back to the mix.
There’s also the lingering needs at offensive line and pass rusher that cannot be understated.
David Bailey, Texas Tech pass rusher
Bailey serves as arguably the most complete pass rusher in this draft.
The 6-foot-3, 251-pound pass rusher racked up an FBS-leading 14.5 sacks to pair with a Big 12-leading 19.5 tackles for loss in 2025.
He added a 4.50-second 40-yard dash and 35-inch vertical at the combine.
In the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker, he’s the second-most mocked prospect to the Cardinals.
Francis Mauigoa, Miami offensive tackle
The 6-foot-5, 329-pound Mauigoa takes the cake as the top-rated offensive tackle prospect by many this draft.
The Associated Press First-Team All-American allowed just two sacks and four quarterback hits all season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Arizona could desperately use someone of Mauigoa’s stature on the right side of the line, too, with Elijah Wilkinson being Arizona’s current starting option at right tackle.
There’s a reason Mauigoa has been the most commonly mocked prospect to the Cardinals this draft cycle.
Rueben Bain Jr., Miami pass rusher
Bain is coming off 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in 16 games played this past season. He added an interception, one pass defensed and a forced fumble.
The 6-foot-2, 263-pound All-American spent all three years at Miami and has been linked to the Cardinals the fifth-most times in the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker.
