A Philadelphia-born cornerback whose path ran through Duquesne and West Virginia before a productive final season at Arizona and an undrafted deal with Tampa Bay.
Ayden Garnes signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie cornerback after a well-traveled college career that ended with a full season as a starter at Arizona. Built more on instincts and ball skills than elite measurables at 6-foot and roughly 180 pounds, Garnes turned a string of transfers into a legitimate NFL opportunity.
Path to the league
Garnes began his college career at Duquesne, redshirting in 2021 before starting seven straight games in 2022. He transferred to West Virginia for the 2024 season, then to Arizona for his final year of eligibility in 2025, going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft before signing with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent.
Career highlights
At West Virginia in 2024, Garnes started five of six games before a season-ending injury, recording 25 tackles and holding up well in coverage before he got hurt. He capped his college career at Arizona in 2025 as a full-time starter, showing off the ball skills that had scouts interested despite his lighter frame.
2025 season recap
Garnes started all 13 games at cornerback for Arizona in 2025, finishing with 33 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups, a blocked kick, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. The all-around production as a first-year Wildcat was enough to land him a rookie free-agent deal with the Buccaneers after the 2026 draft.
Sources
- ESPN: Ayden Garnes
- Arizona Wildcats Athletics: Ayden Garnes
- Buccaneers.com: Ayden Garnes
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Cornerback
- Group
- defense
- College
- Arizona
- Hometown
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
