Brock Purdy has become the new Tom Brady, at least at this time of year.

Both will always be tales of what could be in a quarterback draft, with Purdy going in the seventh round and Brady famously a sixth-round pick and both good enough to reach a Super Bowl (or many, in Brady's case.)

But as the Cardinals head into a draft where a) they could still seek a quarterback of the future and b) the QB class coming out is thin and underwhelming in its potential, the Purdy/Brady examples just underscore that yes, a quality quarterback can be found later, but no, it doesn't happen often.

Teams still are going to shoot their shot.

"The quarterback position is the most important position in all of sports. We know that," LaFleur said during the spring NFL owners meetings.

In context of the 2026 draft, beyond Fernando Mendoza, who will go No. 1 overall, and Ty Simpson, who will go anywhere from 2 to 50ish, there are names that became famous in college but whose NFL prospects are more difficult to assess.

Miami's Carson Beck, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, and Penn State's Drew Allar are among the third-round-and-beyond options at the position. If Simpson doesn't get the call, what about someone else?

Since the Cardinals moved to Arizona in 1988, they have spent a pick on a quarterback in the third round or later 10 times, including 1991 when the draft was still 12 rounds and they grabbed Jeff Bridewell with their final pick.

Their third-round selections were Tom Tupa (1988), Stoney Case (1995) and Josh McCown (2002.) Logan Thomas, future NFL tight end, was taken in the fourth round (2014). The fifth round produced John Skelton (2010) and Clayton Tune (2023), with Ryan Lindley (2012) in the sixth round. Seventh-rounders included Chris Greisen (1999) and John Navarre (2004).

McCown was the Cardinals starter for much of 2004. Skelton started 17 games over three seasons, even going 5-2 in seven 2011 starts. Tupa was the Cardinals starter in 1991.

But there is a reason teams find the best quarterbacks in the first round. Because the ones that survive at a higher percentage are gone otherwise.

The Cardinals do have a couple of later-round success stories. Jacoby Brissett has carved out a long career after being drafted in the third round. And Gardner Minshew has done more than most sixth-round QBs (Brady excluded, of course.)

With Brissett and Minshew, the Cardinals are able to pivot whichever way they need. If they want to take a QB, whether it is Simpson or Beck or someone else, they have veterans who can serve as mentors in practice. If they want to wait until a 2027 QB class that is expected to be loaded, then the Cardinals would be OK with two experienced players.

The Cardinals aren't going to stop tinkering with their quarterback room, LaFleur said, "until we know we have the most perfect room possible."

FINDING A QUARTERBACK LATER

A list of all the quarterbacks drafted since 2020 in the third-round or later, sorted by year and descending round: