The Impact Dansby and Garnes Will Have on Their New Teams

The NFL Draft is over and the Arizona Wildcats had a successful few days, seeing five of their standout defensive players being picked by a team to continue their careers, this time at the professional level. It's not a surprise that Dalton Johnson, Genesis Smith and Treydan Stukes were all taken before the end of the fifth round.

Stukes and Johnson will both be suiting up for the Las Vegas Raiders, while Smith will be playing for the Los Angeles Chargers. All three safeties finished their careers with the Wildcats after a tenure that saw both ups and downs.

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The "big three" were all slated to be drafted by a team, but what about the other two defensive backs who were taken? Michael Dansby was taken in the seventh round by the Seattle Seahawks and Ayden Garnes was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the draft concluded.

Both players were key pieces in a defense that was suffocating in the pass game and had a knack for taking the ball away. What exactly do they bring to their respective teams? Let's take a look at what each player brings to their new football home.

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Ball Hawking Skills

Arizona Wildcats defensive back Michael Dansby (25) knocks the ball out of the hands of Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Noah Jennings (8) in the third quarter of the NCAA football game at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 15, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bot Dansby and Garnes bring with them an elite-level ability to spot the ball and defend the pass, which is what has made them so dangerous in pass defense. While their interception rate is not that high, their ability to break up a pass is what has earned them recognition from their peers.

Dansby had the fourth most pass breakups in the Big 12 with 10, while Garnes was tied for the seventh most with eight. It is that level of play on the ball that got them a chance to make it on an NFL team in the first place.

Experience

Dansby and Garnes have had quite the journey in the NCAA, playing for multiple teams under different styles of defense. Eventually, both defensive backs called Arizona home for their final collegiate season,

Dansby played his first three seasons at San Jose State. When he finally got an opportunity with a school at a higher level, he jumped right on it and showed why he deserved to be there. His 10 pass breakups and one interception speak for themselves.

Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Treydan Stukes (2) celebrates with defensive back Ayden Garnes (9) after an interception against Arizona State Sun Devils in the second half during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Garnes began his collegiate career at Duquesne, a small Division II school based in Philadelphia, PA. He played for two seasons here and transferred to West Virginia, where he appeared in six games. After that, he decided to go to Arizona, where he started in all 13 games.

Both players offer a ton of experience to their respective teams and have the potential to contribute to the defense.

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