Cornerback Tacario Davis, offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea, quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan were all named in the "CFB Rank 2024: Ranking the top 100 players before the season" by ESPN on Thursday.
Davis is ranked 94th, Savaiinaea 85th, Fifita 51st and McMillan 13th among the top ESPN Top 100 2024 players. Davis, Fifita, McMillian and Savaiinae all earned preseason All-Big XII. McMillan was named an ESPN All-American on Wednesday. ESPN summarized every top 100 player.
The summary for Davis mentions him as a potential 2025 NFL First Round pick, his breakout 2023 season, Arizona finishing 11th nationally last year and that Davis was second-team Associated Press All-Pac 12 and honorable mention all-conference by conference beat writers.
Davis is an extremely tall CB at 6'4. Davis had 25 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 interception and led the Pac-12 with 16 pass breakups. After initially entered the transfer portal Davis chose to return to Arizona. Retaining Davis for 2024 was huge for new Arizona head coach Brent Brennan.
Tetairoa McMillan can essentially end the debate of "Best Arizona wide receiver ever" with another great season in 2024.
— Jordan Hamm (@JordyHamm) July 12, 2024
WR coach Bobby Wade, who many believe currently holds that title, is working hard so his own name comes second in that conversation.https://t.co/oSwBtU4EdA pic.twitter.com/lxEieqkGsk
Savaiinaea was praised by ESPN as one of the best OL from the day he walked onto campus at Arizona following his high school career at St. Louis in Hawaii. Savaiinae has started all 25 games during his Arizona career. ESPN praised Savaiinaea as a dominant force as a run and pass blocker.
Savaiinaea has helped Arizona go from one win in 2021 to 10 victories in 2023. ESPN listed Savaiinaea as allowing two sacks in 889 snaps in 2023. Savaiinaea will be a critical OL for Arizona in 2024 protecting Fifita and allowing him to get the ball to McMillan and the other playmakers.
ESPN credited Fifita as having one of the best seasons in Arizona history despite beginning 2023 second on the depth chart. After losing his first two starts, Fifita led Arizona to seven straight wins to end the 2023 season. ESPN projected Fifita would have received Heisman Trophy votes if he began the 2023 season as the starting QB.
ESPN observed that McMillan is a likely first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. McMillan is a strong candidate to win the Biletnikoff Award per ESPN after his incredible 2023 season in their words. ESPN projects McMillan to be more essential in the Arizona offense in 2023 with the departure of Jacob Cowing at WR.
The downside with Cowing now in the NFL per ESPN is that McMillan will face more double teams than in the past. Even with constant double teams, McMillan is poised for a huge year. McMillan should contend to be an All-American in 2024. Could McMillan end his career as the best Arizona player ever?