A former two-star recruit who rose from junior college to All-Big Ten left tackle at Illinois, J.C. Davis was drafted by the Giants in the sixth round.
J.C. Davis took a winding road to the NFL, switching from defensive tackle to offensive line at Contra Costa College before starring at New Mexico and then Illinois, where he graded as one of the top left tackles in the country. The New York Giants selected him in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft with a pick acquired from Miami in the Darren Waller trade.
Path to the league
Davis played defensive tackle at McClymonds High School in Oakland before converting to offensive line at Contra Costa College, where he earned All-CCCA First Team honors. He transferred to New Mexico for two seasons and then to Illinois, where he started all 25 games over his final two years. The Giants took him with the 192nd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Davis earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and first-team All-Big Ten in 2025, finishing as the No. 3-graded left tackle in the country by Pro Football Focus in his final season. At 6-foot-4 and 322 pounds, his run-blocking strength and core power were his calling cards, even as evaluators flagged his struggles against speed rushers as an area to refine at the next level.
2025 season recap
In his final season at Illinois, Davis started all 13 games at left tackle and earned first-team All-Big Ten recognition, then opted out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the draft. He was selected by the Giants in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft in April.
Sources
- Wikipedia: J. C. Davis (American football)
- On3: New York Giants draft Illinois OT J.C. Davis in sixth round
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Illinois
- Hometown
- Oakland, CA, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
