Arizona
Mock Draft: Cardinals Trade Out of First Round
Welcome back to Mock Draft Monday, Arizona Cardinals fans!
The Cardinals only have five draft picks currently and would certainly be interested in getting some more ammo for a draft class loaded on defense – which should be the top priority for upgrading this offseason.
Fear not, for I found a trade candidate to move down and get an extra day two pick along with a future second-round pick in 2026! The move helped me land a crucial depth player, but the slide down the board netted me the hottest name in college football right now.
Let’s dive in.
TRADE:
Arizona sends pick 16 to Cleveland
Cleveland sends picks 33 and 67 and a 2026 second-round pick
The mock saw the Browns select Travis Hunter with the second overall pick and bypass a quarterback. But, when they saw a chance to go up and get a sliding Kelvin Banks and shore up the offensive line, they pounced.
The Cardinals, who are plenty happy with Paris Johnson Jr., gladly accepted a move down to secure an early third-round pick and a second-round pick in 2026.
The man of the hour as of late, Sawyer is the hottest name in college football after his unbelievable strip-sack and subsequent scoop-and-score touchdown against Texas to seal Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl win and send the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Beyond the scope of that game, Sawyer has made plays all year long and he’s put together a marvelous senior year as a swan song for his time with Ohio State. The 6’5 and 260lbs edge rusher has improved each season and is primed to crash the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Cardinals will joyfully add the veteran pass rusher to their floundering room and see an instant jump in production. Sawyer will become a fan favorite in no time.
Golden isn’t the most popular man in the desert after being one of the biggest players involved in ending the Arizona State Sun Devils season at the Peach Bowl, but he’s a damn good receiver. Like Sawyer, Golden has made himself some serious money in the College Football Playoff and he’s also on a collision course to potentially crash day one of the draft.
Texas’s passing attack took a big step forward this season with Golden stepping up as Quinn Ewers’ top target, posting just under 1,000 receiving yards and 17 yards per reception along with nine touchdowns.
Arizona needs some more depth at wide receiver and someone to take the top off the defense, something Golden can provide for both needs.
With an extra third-round selection, the Cardinals get Dante Stills a partner-in-crime from the interior of the defensive line with Sanders, who is rising up boards and can blow everyone away with a good NFL Scouting Combine showing.
On what was one of college football’s best pass rushing defenses, Sanders managed four sacks from the inside plus 51 tackles, which led all the Gamecocks’ defensive linemen and was fifth overall. In three seasons, Sanders nabbed 9.5 total sacks and 110 tackles.
Sanders will come to the desert and find himself a role as a rotational player along the defensive line. With any luck, he can quickly separate himself from the pack with his pass rushing abilities.
We mentioned the confidence in Paris Johnson earlier at left tackle, but the right tackle spot is wide open. Jonah Williams isn’t a lock for 2025, but even his return shouldn’t dispel adding depth.
Cornelius went from a no-star commit at Rhode Island to a key component of the offensive line for Oregon. A four-year starter at right tackle, Cornelius has the size profile at 6’5 and 310lbs to grow and become a stalwart on the strong side of the line.
There will be a learning curve for Cornelius, but he’s well-traveled with tons of play time. With the right coaching and development, he’ll become a starting right tackle with a decently high ceiling.
The Fighting Irish are in the CFP National Championship Game thanks to a stellar defense and Kiser has been one of its most integral pieces. The fifth-year senior recorded 85 tackles (51 solo) to pace Notre Dame. Kiser also added two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries to his resume.
Kiser found a significant role with Notre Dame’s defense in all five seasons in South Bend. He amassed 271 tackles with six sacks, seven forced fumbles, four interceptions, and two touchdowns (both in the 2021 season).
The resume speaks for itself, and Kiser could conclude his storied career with the Fighting Irish with a ring. No matter how it ends, the Cardinals need a linebacker heir to Kyzir White, who could possibly depart in free agency.
Moore entered the 2024 season with expectations of becoming a superstar pass rusher after a 14-sack season in 2023 with UTSA. Instead, Moore struggled to consistently find the field on a stacked Texas defense and failed to see those lofty expectations.
But stop me if you’ve heard this before – Moore made waves in the CFP and has re-established himself as a name to watch. Moore ended the season with 5.5 sacks, three in the postseason including two in the Peach Bowl. Once he found his rhythm, Moore started to look like what we wanted him to be.
I believe Moore could make more money by returning to Austin for his final season of college, but his late-season surge and athleticism could still place him as a climber in the draft. Moore has starting upside and is at worst a great rotational player – a.k.a. someone who is perfect for the Cardinals.
Believe it or not, the 2026 All-Star Game voting process has already begun, as of Wednesday. Fans who want to see their favorite members of the Arizona Diamondbacks take the field in the midsummer classic this season can begin voting for their stars.
There are certainly some deserving players on this Diamondbacks club, which is currently 32-28 and occupying the third Wild Card sport in the National League.
Here’s how and where you can vote for your hometown heroes:
How to vote for Diamondbacks players to make All-Star Game
Fans can utilize the following link to vote for members of their team on dbacks.com. Fans are permitted to fill out and submit as many as five ballots per day, selecting as many or as few players as they choose.
This period of the fan vote constitutes Phase 1 of All-Star voting, which will run from Wednesday, June 3 through Thursday, June 25 at 9:00 a.m. Arizona time (12:00 p.m. Eastern time).
Following Phase 1, the two overall top vote-getters will receive automatic berths into the All-Star lineups. If those two are not Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge once again, that would be an upset.
When and where is the 2026 All-Star Game?
The 2026 All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies in Philadelphia. All-Star week begins on June 10, with a full slate of activities, before the game is played on Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time (5:00 p.m. Arizona time).
The full schedule of events are as follows:
- Friday, July 10: HBCU Swingman Classic
- Saturday, July 11: 2026 MLB Draft
- Sunday, July 12: All-Star Sunday, MLB Futures Game, MLBx All-Star 3-on-3
- Monday, July 13: T-Mobile Home Run Derby (8:00 p.m. ET)
- Tuesday, July 14: All-Star Red Carpet, All-Star Game
Which Diamondbacks are deserving All-Stars?
| Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
So, who should Diamondbacks fans vote for? Obviously, you may fill out the ballot however you choose. That can include a full roster of Diamondbacks, regardless of their stats or notoriety this season.
Still, here are some of the top performing D-backs who might have a leg up on an All-Star berth:
OF Corbin Carroll
Corbin Carroll is having another All-Star worthy season. He’s hitting .289/.380/.545 with a .925 OPS and eight home runs, while playing good right field defense. He has the eighth-most bWAR (2.7) among position players, fifth-most in the National League, and third-most among all pure outfielders.
2B Ketel Marte
If Marte wins the NL second base fan vote, it will be his third straight season starting the All-Star game. Despite such a slow start to the year, that feels possible again. Marte is hitting .259/.315/.456 with 10 homers and is playing the best defense of his career.
3B Nolan Arenado
Nolan Arenado is quietly putting together one of his better seasons of the 2020s, slashing .269/.351/.467 with eight homers and flashing his elite third base glove at nearly as good a pace as ever. His name still carries a lot of weight in third base conversations; he’ll get some votes, no matter what.
1B Ildemaro Vargas
Vargas’ bat has cooled down quite a bit since his historic start to 2026. He’s still hitting a sturdy .290/.318/.454, but feels more likely to be considered as a reserve selection than a leading vote-getter.
Honorable Mention: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
Pitchers are not selected by the fan vote. They are selected by player ballots and the All-Star Game managers. The National League’s manager will be Dave Roberts of the Dodgers, again.
The National League has quite a few talented pitchers, but Eduardo Rodriguez currently holds the fifth-best starting pitcher ERA (2.24) among NL hurlers. It’s going to be difficult to dethrone Christopher Sanchez or Jacob Misiorowski, but Rodriguez could find his way into the pitching pool, especially after his WBC heroics for Team Venezuela.
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Arizona State has added Michael White to its coaching staff for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. White will join the program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
“I am incredibly honored to return to my home state and join this elite program,” White said. “I’m proud to say that I am coming home. I can’t thank Coach Herbie enough for the opportunity to join his incredible staff and help these young athletes grow and develop into the best individuals they can be. There are so many friends and mentors who have left their mark on this program, and I’m excited for the opportunity to leave mine and help take this program to new heights. Go Devils!”
White arrives with the Sun Devils after most recently spending the last three seasons with Alabama as an assistant. The Alabama women finished 11th at the 2026 NCAA Championships while the men were 24th.
Prior to arriving at Alabama, White spent the 2022-2023 season as a volunteer assistant at Wisconsin. He primarily coached the freestyle, breaststroke and distance groups for the Badgers. In addition to coaching the Badgers, he also was an assistant senior coach with the Madison Aquatics Club for the year. He began his coaching career at Juniata College in Pennsylvania as a volunteer assistant from 2019-2021.
White spent his collegiate career at St. Bonaventure in New York. There he was a 7x individual Atlantic-10 champion and swam to three school records as a senior with a 1:47.30 200 IM, 3:52.18 400 IM, and a 1:47.70 200 fly. He also was team captain for two season and helped the team capture the 2014 A-10 team title.
The Scottsdale, Arizona native will return to his home state. He was a 2012 AIA Division I state champion in the 100 breast and 200 IM as a senior for Dobson High School.
White joins the coaching staff led by head coach Herbie Behm, who is already known to be an innovative coach. Behm spoke of White’s innovation as well saying, “Mike is one of the best young coaches in the NCAA. His interview blew me away with the innovative ideas he presented. I can’t wait to start implementing those ideas and continue our growth at ASU.”
Arizona State swept the 2026 Big 12 team titles, and the men went on to finish 4th at 2026 NCAAs while the women were 37th. Rising senior Ilya Kharun captured the NCAA title in the 200 fly with a 1:37.66.
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