Arizona Wildcats Star Defender Just Misses on Being First Round Pick in Mock Draft
For a team that struggled as much as the Arizona Wildcats did during the 2024 college football season, they sure had a lot of major talent on the roster.
Their biggest star was wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who set several program records and has been one of the best pass-catchers in the country for the last two campaigns. He is projected by many outlets to be a top 10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
One of the players who has been matching up against him in practice over the last few years has been star cornerback Tacario Davis.
Possessing a rare combination of size, length and athleticism, he is everything you would want in a cornerback. On top of his impressive coverage skills, he isn’t afraid to mix things up as a run defender, something you don’t always see from defensive backs.
Unfortunately for Arizona, he isn’t going to be back with the team in 2025.
After testing the transfer portal waters following the 2023 season, when head coach Jedd Fisch left for the Washington Huskies head coaching job, Davis decided to stay put and remain on the team with Brent Brennan taking over as head coach.
He has entered the transfer portal again, but this time he has even more options.
Every program around the country would love to add a player of his caliber to their secondary. But, it isn’t only college coaches that have their eyes on Davis; NFL teams do as well.
He is a highly regarded prospect who is eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft. There are some scouts who believe that he could be a first-round pick given the raw tools and skill set that he possesses.
He is leaving all doors open right now, but it will be tough to turn down the pros if he feels he can sneak his way into the first round. Based on a recent mock draft made by Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network, he is knocking on that door.
Infante has mocked Davis to the New York Giants as the first pick in the second round, No. 33 overall, based on the order provided by the PFN Mock Draft Simulator.
“With a new quarterback in town with this mock draft, the Giants would be wise to still focus on positions with higher perceived positional value in Round 2.
Tacario Davis entered the transfer portal, but if he decides to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, he has the potential to be an early draft pick. He’s a big-bodied cornerback with a large, lanky frame, impressive ball skills and much better movement skills than the average 6-foot-4 cornerback prospect.”
Landing with the Giants would push Davis into a prominent role right away. Their secondary has been a mess at times during the recent campaign, as 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks has not yet shown No. 1 cornerback abilities.
Dru Phillips has played very well as a rookie, but New York needs more than one corner for its passing defense to turn things around. Davis could help with that immediately.
It will be interesting to see if he eventually declares for the pros or ends up with another collegiate program for the 2025 campaign. Whatever he decides to do, you can be sure that he will make his presence felt right away.
