Aggies look to the combo Davis, Harris at corner

AggieYell.com continues its countdown to the start of the 2014 season with its 30 players in 30 days feature on the most important players to Texas A&M's success for the upcoming campaign. The list continues with number 15, the cornerback duo of Devante Harris and Victor Davis.

Classification: Harris, junior; Davis, redshirt freshman

Height/Weight: Harris, 5'11", 175 lbs.; Davis, 6', 191 lbs.

2013 Statistics: Harris -- 56 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT and 8 passes broken up in 11 games, all starts Davis - redshirted

Why they're on the list together: Because, between the two, they should start most, if not all, of the games at corner across from Deshazor Everett this season. Harris, who has been a starter for most of his two seasons on campus, has been a solid pass defender who has had issues with run defense and consistency. Noticeably bigger and more aggressive this spring and early summer, Harris seemed to be taking to new secondary coach Terry Joseph's approach before suffering a severe urinary tract injury that led to him being hospitalized for several days. Though he has since been released, he is likely at least a month away from returning to action.

That left the door open for Davis, who redshirted last season after a miserable camp. Closer to the kind of tall, physical corner Joseph prefers, he took over the starting job after Harris' injury and will start the season opener at South Carolina. Even though defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said Davis needs to improve in the running game, he seemed pleased with his progression as a pass defender.

"He has no pulse. It's a beautiful thing at corner," Snyder said. "He has a short memory and he's very patient. He doesn't panic."

In Harris, the Aggies have an experienced corner who is used to the grind of SEC play. In Davis, they have a young talent who could be part of the solution to their cornerback issues in future years. They'll need both to perform, when healthy, to have the defense take a step forward in 2014.