Jonah Savaiinaea has suited up in an Arizona Wildcats uniform for the final time. After missing the Territorial Cup last weekend, Jonah Savaiinaea announced on Sunday via social media that he has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-5, 336-pound Savaiinaea, better know around Tucson as Big Jonah, started all 36 games of his career at Arizona. Savaiinaea began his career as a true freshman in 2022 at right guard, before moving over to right tackle as a sophomore in 2023. This season, Big Jonah flipped back and forth between both sides of the line, starting his final five games at left tackle due to injuries on the Wildcats’ offensive line.
In 1,544 career pass-blocking snaps during his three-year career in Tucson, Savaiinaea allowed just eight sacks, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). In the 2024 season, Big Jonah ranked 13th among FBS offensive tackles with an 83.4 pass-blocking grade. He garnered All-Conference honorable mentions in each of his three seasons at Arizona, including an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention this season.
The latest ESPN mock draft has Savaiinaea going late in the first-round, selected with the 31st-overall pick by the Detroit Lions. If that happens, it will be the first time Arizona has had first-round offensive linemen drafted in back-to-back years, after the Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Morgan with the 25th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and cornerback Tacario Davis are also expected to forego their remaining eligibility and leave early for the 2025 NFL Draft alongside Jonah Savaiinaea. They have yet to make official announcements.