Arizona
CBS: Cardinals Have Under-The-Radar Star
For the Arizona Cardinals to get over the playoff hump in 2025 after narrowly missing the postseason a year ago, the team is going to need several of their guys to step up.
When I say they need guys to step up, I’m not referring to their current stars.
We know guys like Trey McBride, James Conner, and Budda Baker will hold up their end of the bargain. Free agent additions like Calais Campbell and Josh Sweat should also be exempt. We should have less than zero questions there.
Players being asked to step up also does not include the young players like Marvin Harrison Jr. or Walter Nolen III.
No, the players who should be asked to step up are those who are in positions to start, make significant contributions, and potentially alter games.
The Cardinals have several players who fit that billing.
I could name a slew of players that make sense to hold that label, but one player who stands out to me the most is third-year man Michael Wilson.
Apparently, I’m not the only one, either.
CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell constructed a list of three “under-the-radar” stars for every NFC team this upcoming season and highlighted the Stanford product for Arizona.
Podell started off with this to say:
“Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride and 2024 fourth overall pick wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. get the spotlight with the Arizona Cardinals, but 2023 third-round pick wide receiver Michael Wilson could be on the verge of a breakout in 2025. He was third on the team in targets (71), catches (47) and receiving yards (548) in 2024…”
Wilson has been an important contributor to the Cardinals passing game in his first two professional seasons. He was a pseudo-WR1 of sorts with an up-and-down season from Marquise Brown in his rookie season in 2023 before flourishing in a no.2 role last here behind Harrison.
We saw most of his stats improve across the board after his rookie season output of 38 receptions on 58 targets for 565 yards and three scores.
By all accounts it was a successful season, placing fourth on the team in both receptions and targets, third yards, and tied for second in touchdowns with McBride.
The hope was Wilson would take a step forward in year two with Harrison opposite him to help draw attention away from him. It did seem that way at times, but a poor passing game entirely didn’t lead to the massive results the team had hoped for.
Still, no one is quitting on Wilson yet and he’s still earned playing time for the offense. A correction in the passing game should give him an uptick in production. Kyler Murray certainly believes that he’s more than capable of eclipsing the all-mighty 1,000 yard barrier.
Podell notes a quote from Murray in his article:
“…quarterback Kyler Murray thinks Wilson has the ability to be a 1,000-yard receiver.
“‘Mike [Wilson] is a 1,000-yard receiver. I truly believe Mike can have 1,000 yards and be very comparable to the guys we see doing it year in and year out,’ Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray said on April 9, via PHNX Cardinals podcast. ‘It’s all about opportunities, staying healthy and the connection we have on the field, but … he’s got it. He can play receiver.””
It’s always a good thing when your quarterback vouches for you, and Podell agrees with the sentiment:
“Given that kind of belief from his quarterback, Wilson could make a huge leap in the coming season.”
It would obviously be a welcome addition to the offense and really open things up for the team to not be so constrained. That was an issue last season that led to the team’s second-half collapse. That wasn’t remotely a Wilson problem, but he can certainly help prevent that from happening twice.
Entering 2025, the Cardinals would like Wilson’s production to improve, but they may need it plain and simple. Last year’s passing attack was OK. McBride went over 1k on the season with big time volume, and MHJ was close to 900 yards as a rookie who wasn’t used properly.
That can hopefully continue to be the case for years to come, of course with the latter becoming a perennial 1,000 yard receiver.
And although it shouldn’t be asked of Wilson to also become a 1,000 yard receiver — honestly, that’s not fair to ask of any third option in any offense given its rarity — the team will need him to step up this season.
The Cardinals offense was stagnant at times last year and a big reason why was its inconsistent passing game. If Harrison wasn’t getting it done out wide then Arizona was forced into underneath passing. That can’t continue to be the case if the Cardinals want to go back to late-January football.
Harrison will be the biggest factor in changing those fortunes, but Wilson could find a way to also become a component to that change.
Plus, it also gives him a chance to break out some big time numbers right before he heads into a contract season; even more incentive to do such than there already was.
I’m not asking for 1,000 yards out of Wilson, but it is time to get past 600 yards for the first time in his career. I would set the bar at a medium height and look to get 700-800 yards and at least five scores from him this season.
As a third option in a team’s passing game that is no easy task, but I wouldn’t just assign this to a player if I didn’t believe they were capable of doing so.
I firmly believe that Wilson is capable of posting some rock-solid numbers in 2025.
A season output of let’s say 65 receptions, 750 yards, five touchdowns may not feel like a “breakout” to many, but it would be exactly that for the Cardinals. A season like that, if paired with good-to-great seasons from McBride and Harrison, could also be the final key to this offense holding its own.
Wilson isn’t the key to fixing the offense, but he can be the key if things fall into place. So, don’t place all the expectations on him to break out, but don’t be surprised if this offense takes off with a breakout season from Wilson.
Arizona
Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping
Man arrested in connection to teens’ shooting deaths appears in court
Thomas Brown, who was arrested in connection to the shooting deaths of Evan Clark and Pandora Kjolsrud, appeared in court on Oct. 3, 2025.
A 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot while camping with a female classmate northeast of Phoenix died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the first page of his autopsy report.
Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were shot and killed. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025.
The first page of Clark’s autopsy report, which The Arizona Republic obtained March 3, found that his death was a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The first page of Kjolsrud’s autopsy report also ruled her death a homicide with her cause of death being gunshot wounds to the head and upper body.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives ultimately arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with their deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remained in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.
Detectives found Brown’s DNA on gloves inside Clark’s SUV that had Kjolsrud’s blood on them as well, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Partial autopsy reports made available following legal fight
While The Republic has obtained the first pages of both Clark’s and Kjolsrud’s autopsy reports, the remaining pages appeared to remain sealed as of March 3 since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora’s mother, petitioned to have the autopsy reports sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, potentially included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the public’s right to know.
A Sept. 25, 2025, motion that sought to block the report’s release argued the report could contain information law enforcement hasn’t yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation.
“Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughter’s Medical Examiner’s Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case,” the motion stated.
Kjolsrud asked that Clark’s autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter’s.
Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, previously objected to the autopsies being sealed and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated.
“To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member,” Kelley wrote in his objection. “But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the public’s right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance.”
It was not immediately clear whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered the autopsies remain sealed as he reviewed their contents, would unseal additional pages in their entirety or with redactions.
Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.
Arizona
No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title
TUCSON, Ariz. — Jaden Bradley scored 17 points, Motiejus Krivas had 13 and No. 2 Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night.
The Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) secured at least a share of the conference crown by using big runs in each half to beat No. 14 Kansas 84-61 on Saturday.
Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, most in NCAA history in a coach’s first five seasons.
“The Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the country,” Lloyd said while addressing the home crowd after the game, “and to win it by a couple of games, it’s pretty impressive. So take your hats off to these guys right here.”
Coming off their first home loss of the season, the Cyclones (24-6, 11-6) labored against Arizona’s physical defense, shooting 29% from the field, including 7-of-30 from 3-point range.
During his postgame news conference, Lloyd called out the narrative surrounding his team when discussing the Wildcats’ toughness and physicality.
“I think the narrative that we were soft is lazy. I mean, look at our stats, look at our analytics — we’ve always been a great rebounding team, we’ve always pounded the paint,” Lloyd said. “If you want to just be lazy and not pay attention and say we’re soft because we’re on the West Coast, be lazy, and I’d love to play against you.”
Tamin Lipsey led Iowa State with 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. The nation’s best 3-point shooter at 51%, Momcilovic went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Neither team could make much of anything, due to good defense and poor shooting.
Iowa State shot 9-of-33 from the field and 4-of-20 from 3 in the first half.
Arizona labored most of the half as the Cyclones focused on defending the paint before the Wildcats closed on a 15-3 run to lead 37-25 at halftime.
It only got worse for Iowa State to start the second half. The Cyclones missed their first eight shots as Arizona stretched the lead to 16.
Iowa State briefly found an offensive rhythm, using a 10-1 run to pull to within 44-37, but didn’t hit a field goal for more than five minutes as Arizona stretched the lead back to 15.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Arizona
Arizona NAACP responds to ‘Simon Says’ case, calls for police accountability
PHOENIX — The Arizona NAACP is responding to the violent arrest of Israel Devoe, a Phoenix man who was acquitted of all charges stemming from a 2024 traffic stop in which officers punched, kneed, and elbowed him.
Sarah Tyree, president of the Arizona NAACP State Conference, said the case is part of a broader and familiar pattern.
“What happened here reflects a pattern our communities know all too well. Time and again, we see policing tactics that are dangerous and deeply harmful to civilians, yet are later justified as ‘within policy’ through carefully crafted reports and the broad protections afforded under Graham v. Connor,” Tyree wrote in an emailed statement following an ABC15 investigation.
RELATED: Phoenix man to file lawsuit after dangerous game of ‘Simon Says’ with police
Phoenix police officials found all four officers involved in Devoe’s arrest to have acted within policy, records show.
After a two-day trial, jurors unanimously found Devoe not guilty on all four of the felony charges against him — including aggravated assault on officers and resisting arrest.
In her statement, Tyree said true accountability is not possible without changing state law.
“Accountability remains out of reach in Arizona because the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights continues to insulate misconduct from meaningful oversight, too often shifting blame onto the very communities most impacted by these encounters,” she wrote. “We also encourage Arizona voters to engage their state legislators and advocate for the repeal or amendment of the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights to ensure systems of public safety are truly accountable to the public they serve.”
Devoe’s case again highlights problems with policing in Phoenix, which has been under scrutiny following a Department of Justice investigation that found the city had a pattern and practice of using excessive force, discrimination, and weak oversight.
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The push for federal oversight ended in 2025 after the Trump administration ended such efforts across the country.
Devoe’s civil attorney, Jesse Showalter, also represents Tyron McAlpin, a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy who was violently arrested by Phoenix officers in July 2024. Showalter has said both cases reflect what he described as an accepted norm of extreme violence within the Phoenix Police Department.
A Phoenix police spokesperson said the department declines to comment because Devoe is set to file a lawsuit against the city.
This digital article was produced with the assistance of AI and converted to this platform based on the broadcast story written and reported by ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing (Dave@abc15.com). Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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