As the 2024 college football season hits its stride, teams across the NFL have begun to adjust and organize their draft board. While we still have months to go until the meat of the pre-draft process arrives, there hasn’t been a shortage of standout athletes to highlight through five weeks of action.
For Arizona Wildcats corner Tacario Davis, his 2024 campaign thus far has seen his stock rise seemingly weekly. A long and instinctive athlete built in the mold of a typical Cover 3 defensive back, his performance against Utah on Saturday evening raised eyebrows across the country.
Davis entered the 2024 season as a promising young talent with significant upside. Yet, more consistency was warranted at 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds. At that size and weight, he’s forced a few comparisons so far this fall ranging from Seattle’s Riq Woolen, to Jets All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner. His frame is ideal for the modern cornerback—tall, angular, and physical, with the ability to cover larger wideouts. However, what makes Davis truly special is his combination of movement skills and instincts at said size. Few players with his frame can change direction as smoothly or run with the fluidity needed to keep up with the nation's top pass-catchers.
In the early weeks of the campaign, Davis flashed his potential, but it was his performance against the then No. 10-ranked Utes that has his name floating around the middle of the first round in conversations early this week. One game, in the grand scheme of things, won’t make or break a prospect’s evaluation. However, the way in which Davis dominated from the opening whistle showcased the type of player that could demand first-round capital.
In 13 targets against in Week 5, Davis allowed just five receptions, a total of eight yards after the catch, with three PBUs and zero touchdowns allowed. It was rare for Davis to see as much work as he did against Utah with teams opting to throw away from the Long Beach, California native so far in 2024. However, he thrived in a larger workload. Even more impressive was Davis’ ability to step up in run support. On several occasions, Utah attacked his side of the field, but Davis’ ability to disengage from blocks and wrangle down ball-carriers in the fringe areas is an excellent trait to possess. Considering NFL offenses look to force defenses to play inside-out, where they want corners to tackle and linebackers to cover, deploying a talent like Davis who he isn’t a liability in the run game is a huge plus for prospective NFL clubs.
In addition to his physical tools and traits, Davis possesses a natural feel for the game. His ability to diagnose, anticipate, and close on the football makes him a versatile and explosive defensive weapon. It’s a skill set that fits multiple defensive schemes, another plus when identifying his potential best fit at the next level.
Behind his unique combination of size, athleticism, and fundamental coverage skills, Davis remains one of the most intriguing corner prospects in the 2025 pool of talent. With projected continued development—including getting stronger—to come down the line, Davis checks off many of the boxes teams look for in a potential CB1.
