NFL Draft Third Pick Odds: Will Cardinals Go Defense or Jeremiyah Love with 3rd Pick?
The Arizona Cardinals have an interesting decision to make at Pick 3 with first year head coach Mike LaFleur. Do they want a Reese/Bailey selection on defense, or go with Jeremiyah Love and try to transform an inconsistent and oft-injured rushing game? Peter Alexis analyzes the odds for their Third Overall Pick in Thursday's NFL Draft First Round.
Peter Alexis - April 23, 2026, 3:40 PM EDT
4 Minute ReadWho will the Arizona Cardinals Draft with the Third Overall Pick?
The Cardinals are sitting in one of the most interesting spots in the 2026 NFL Draft. At No. 3, they have enough leverage to either stay put and grab a blue-chip talent or trade down if the board breaks the wrong way, and right now the betting market reflects exactly that uncertainty. David Bailey (+210), Jeremiyah Love (+210), and Arvell Reese (+230) are tightly grouped at the top, which tells you Arizona’s decision likely depends on what the Jets do at No. 2 and whether a trade offer materializes.
There is also a bigger organizational angle here. Arizona is entering this draft under new head coach Mike LaFleur, coming off a 3-14 season, and the franchise has clear needs across the roster. The early read is that the Cardinals would prefer to move down and add more capital, but if they stay at No. 3, the decision seems to come down to taking the best player available or targeting the specific kind of foundational piece LaFleur and the front office want to build around.
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NFL Draft Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Thursday, April 23rd, 2026
- Time: 8:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: ABC, ESPN
NFL Draft 3rd Pick Odds
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NFL Draft Third Overall Pick Odds Breakdown
David Bailey (+210) Check out these best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Bailey feels like the cleaner football fit if Arizona wants a true edge rusher and the Jets take Reese at No. 2. He piled up 14.5 sacks and 52 tackles in 2025 at Texas Tech after showing pass-rush production over multiple years, and he is widely viewed as one of the two premier edge defenders in the class. For a Cardinals team that badly needs front-seven help, Bailey would be the straightforward plug-and-play answer.
His odds make sense because a lot of the draft logic around Arizona starts here: if they stay at No. 3 and Reese is gone, Bailey may become the easiest call on the board. The only hesitation is that there has been some late buzz about the Cardinals considering offense more seriously than expected, which is why he is not a clear favorite by himself.
Jeremiyah Love (+210) Check out these best odds at BetMGM Sportsbook
Love is the wildcard and maybe the boldest choice of the three. He rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, was a Heisman finalist, and is viewed by many as one of the best pure talents in the class regardless of positional value. Arizona has reportedly done serious work on him, and if the Cardinals decide that the best player on the board matters more than positional convention, Love is the kind of explosive offensive piece who could reshape the identity of the team quickly.
The debate, of course, is whether taking a running back this high makes sense for a roster with so many other holes. That is what keeps him from separating in the market. But if Arizona cannot find a trade partner and believes Love is a special offensive engine, the +210 number is telling you that outcome is absolutely live.
Arvell Reese (+230) Check out these best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Reese is slightly behind the other two in this market, but only slightly, and that says a lot. He posted 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks at Ohio State, then boosted his stock further with elite testing, including a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, 243 pounds. He is not just a pure edge, which is part of what makes him so appealing. He can rush, run, and move around the formation in ways that would give Arizona more flexibility.
His path to No. 3 likely depends on the Jets. If New York passes on Reese at No. 2, Arizona could suddenly be staring at one of the most dynamic defenders in the class still on the board. That is why his number is still so short. He may not be the favorite right this second, but he is one decision away from becoming the easiest pick for the Cardinals if the draft falls his way.
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