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Illinois football key cog getting golden opportunity with rising NFL team

It was a great NFL Draft for the Illinois football program, and an NFL franchise is getting a great blocker from the Orange and Blue.
ByRees Woodcock|
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Aug 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; General view of the National Football League logo on footballs prior to the game between the New York Jets and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Aug 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; General view of the National Football League logo on footballs prior to the game between the New York Jets and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is now complete, and there have been a few Illinois football players taken off the board.

Gabe Jacas was the first Illini player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. He went to the New England Patriots in the second round. The next pick for the Orange and Blue had to wait until round six.

With pick No. 192 in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected left tackle, JC Davis.

This was a brilliant pick for the Giants, as Davis was one of the best players left on the board. After being one of the top tackles in the country, Davis transferred out of New Mexico and spent his final two seasons with the Illini.

In 2024, Davis was a member of the All-Big Ten team. In his second year, he managed to notch a spot on an All-American roster. His 49 consecutive starts show that he is an iron man in the game, and he will be on the field every Sunday.

JC Davis couldn’t have landed with a better up-and-coming franchise than the New York Giants

The Giants have had one winning campaign in the last nine seasons. They haven’t exactly been the beacon of success over the last decade. But that is all changing.

Davis is coming into a franchise that has the arrow very much pointed upward. Jaxson Dart seems like a star at quarterback. Their running back situation is fun if Cam Skattebo can come back as effective as he was before the injury.

At wide receiver, New York has arguably a top-five guy in Malik Nabers. They also have great pieces like Darius Slatyon and newly acquired Darnell Mooney.

What intrigues me is the potential opportunities that Davis might get. The Giants are set at left tackle with Andrew Thomas, but there isn’t a ton of depth with the franchise. That could enable Davis to see snaps in year one, and maybe a start or two.

This is a great opportunity for Davis. He will get a chance to shine. The last time the Giants selected a player from Illinois, it was offensive lineman David Diehl. They would go on to win two Super Bowls with him anchoring the offensive line. Let’s see if Davis can sprinkle a little bit of that magic on the Giants as well.

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