Arizona’s Big 12 Media Days group includes plenty of familiar names, but Jay’Vion Cole stands out as one of the clearest faces of what Brent Brennan is building in Tucson.
The redshirt senior cornerback heads to Frisco, Texas, after a 2025 season that put him firmly on the conference radar. Cole finished with 23 tackles, three tackles for loss, eight pass deflections, one forced fumble, four interceptions and a pick-six. That kind of production made him one of Arizona’s most reliable defenders, even if his role wasn’t always locked in from the start.
He made his presence felt early. In the second game against Weber State, Cole jumped a route and took the interception back for a touchdown, a snapshot of the playmaking that kept showing up whenever he got on the field. He wasn’t handed a full-time starting job, but he made the most of every snap.
“Jay’Vion Cole you look at as a young man who was really a part time starter for us, accepted that role, was able to take the field when we needed him, whether it was starter, coming off of the bench, and perform right and ultimately be all conference,” said corners coach Chip Viney.
That work earned Cole third-team All-Big 12 honors and an honorable mention for Big 12 defensive newcomer of the year. Now, with Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith in the NFL, Cole has moved into the center of Arizona’s secondary.
“He’s a young man that’s mature,” said Viney. “He’s taken full control of that room. He’s leading these guys into this season.”
Danny Gonzales didn’t exactly hold back either.
“Cole is the best corner in the Big 12, and I would put him against anybody,” said Gonzales.
That leadership has shown up in the locker room too. Redshirt junior Johno Price pointed to the way Cole carries himself on and off the field.
“He knows how to attack the work and does everything right,” said Price. “He’s a great listener, even better teammate, and it’s like a guy to always count on.”
If Cole can match last season’s production, he’ll put himself in position to show up on NFL draft boards. And if that happens, he could help Arizona keep its draft streak alive for a fourth straight year.
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