Complete 2026 NFL Draft CB Rankings:
You are currently viewing our cornerback rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. Recent cornerback classes have produced plenty of future NFL stars, and this class seems like no exception.
Our top cornerback prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the most talented defensive backs in college football. Even though only about 30 will get selected in the draft, a lot more are signed as free agents, and many more receive a training camp invite.
We’ll provide you with inside information to help you know who will be a star, who will be a bust, and which sleepers will shock the world.
BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2026 NFL draft cornerback prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.
(Last Updated: March 5, 2026)
1. Mansoor Delane, LSU
CB | 6’0″ | 187 lbs | 4th Year
Mansoor Delane Scouting Report
Mansoor Delane has firmly established himself as the top cornerback in the 2026 class after a breakout season at LSU. After transferring from Virginia Tech, Delane has taken a massive step forward this year, showing the confidence and consistency teams want from a true CB1.
His biggest strength is his coverage versatility. He is comfortable in press or off-man, and he has the fluid hips and foot quickness to mirror elite receivers down the field. Delane plays with outstanding balance and patience, rarely panicking at the top of routes. His ball skills have improved significantly, and he does a great job playing through the hands at the catch point.
Delane is also a willing tackler with good awareness in run support. There isn’t a massive concern that consistently shows up on tape, but he has struggled at times against bigger receivers, where he can be boxed out and doesn’t have the length to comensate. His athletic profile and year-over-year growth make him a cornerstone defensive prospect.
Mansoor Delane 2025 Stats
11 games: 45 tackles, 13 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 40.0% receptions allowed
2. Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
CB | 6’1″ | 188 lbs | 3rd Year
Jermod McCoy Scouting Report
Jermod McCoy’s evaluation hinges almost entirely on how confident teams are about his recovery from a torn ACL which has caused him to miss the entire 2025 season.
As a sophomore in 2024, McCoy was one of the more dominant cover corners in the country, showing excellent length, fluidity, and confidence playing on an island. He was physical at the line, patient through routes, and competitive at the catch point, routinely shutting down his side of the field. He was also impressive as a tackler, contributing in the run game and minimizing yards after the catch.
That momentum came to a halt after he missed the entire most recent season with injury, which is a real risk factor and clouds his projection. There will be questions about how quickly he can return to peak form and if he’ll show the same athletic explosiveness. Even so, the 2024 tape carries serious weight. He has the size, instincts, and coverage ability to match up with NFL receivers.
Jermod McCoy 2024 Stats
13 games: 44 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 13 passes defended, 4 interceptions, 50.0% receptions allowed
*Did not play in 2025*
3. Avieon Terrell, Clemson
CB | 5’11” | 186 lbs | 3rd Year
Avieon Terrell Scouting Report
The younger brother of longtime NFL corner AJ Terrell, Avieon Terrell has earned everything he’s been given as a player and prospect.
Terrell is one of those players who just feels easy to trust when you turn on the tape. He’s consistently sticky in coverage, plays with great balance and control, and rarely looks rushed or out of position. His footwork and mirror ability stand out immediately, allowing him to stay connected through breaks without having to panic or grab. He’s also a competitive, physical defender who isn’t afraid to mix it up in the run game or challenge receivers at the catch point. He sees route concepts develop, anticipates throws, and plays with a veteran’s understanding of leverage and spacing. There’s a calmness to how he operates that shows up snap after snap, and quarterbacks don’t get many clean looks when targeting him.
He isn’t the biggest or flashiest cornerback in the class, but he’s extremely reliable, tough, and technically sound.
Avieon Terrell 2025 Stats
12 games: 48 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 9 passes defended, 5 fumbles forced, 56.9% receptions allowed
4. Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
CB | 6’0″ | 189 lbs | 3rd Year
Brandon Cisse Scouting Report
Brandon Cisse has consistently improved his game ever since he first started his career with NC State in 2023. He transferred to South Carolina this past season and clamped down some of the best receivers in the SEC.
Cisse is a big time athlete with a prototypical build and long arms. He has all the traits you need in an outside corner, while also having some experience in the slot. Cisse isn’t overly grabby and does a nice job staying in phase down the field, trusting his technique and length to contest throws without panicking. The production started to catch up to the tape this year, allowing receptions on under 50% of his targets. He shows his speed with a quick trigger towards the line of scrimmage on outside run plays, and has great change of direction ability.
Cisse still needs to become a more instinctual player, which tends to show up in zone coverage. He’ll also need to be a more disciplined tackler to reach his full potential as a run defender.
Brandon Cisse 2025 Stats
12 games: 27 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 6 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 fumble forced, 47.4% receptions allowed
5. D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
CB | 5’9″ | 182 lbs | 3rd Year
D’Angelo Ponds Scouting Report
D’Angelo Ponds was one of the absolute best players in all of college football for the National Champion Hoosiers, consistently putting on a clinic of proper technique. Plain and simple, he knows how to play football. Ponds started for Curt Cignetti’s James Madison Dukes as a true freshman, and saying he dominated even back then would be an understatement.
Ponds plays with excellent play recognition, football IQ, and tenacity. He’s aggressive without drawing penalties (just 1 on the season), and has great underneath quickness to mirror receivers or make a fast break on the ball. He shows the competitive mindset teams want in a corner, and his awareness in zone is as good as any corner in the draft class. Ponds is also very aggressive at the catch point, showing excellent timing to arrive at the same moment as the ball, helping him break up or intercept an impressive 40 passes across his 3 years.
The problems for Ponds are all relating to his size. As much as no one wants to admit it, there are going to be downsides of being a 5’8″ 165 pounds corner. His height and lack of compensating length falls well below the cutoff point NFL scouts have for an outside corner, so most teams will view him as a slot-exclusive player, where teams are more often employing safeties in the modern game. His lack of weight leads to him losing ground at the top of routes to bigger receivers, and he isn’t able to fight off blocks. Size issues always become more pronounced at the next level and limit his maximum ceiling.
D’Angelo Ponds 2025 Stats
15 games: 61 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 13 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble forced, 49.2% receptions allowed
6. Keith Abney II, Arizona State
CB | 5’10” | 187 lbs | 3rd Year
Keith Abney II Scouting Report
Keith Abney was one of the most underrated defenders in the country this past season, consistently shutting down opposing WR1’s. The 1st team All-Big12 cornerback has an all-around skillset with just about everything you’re looking for in an outside defender.
The calling card for Abney is his aggressiveness at the catch point. He breaks up a ton of passes and is constantly hand fighting and jockeying for position. He shows good play recognition and makes quick decisions in coverage as well as against the run. Abney is a top level athlete and former speed skating national champion who has the quick hips and recovery speed teams covet. He’s also a very consistent tackler who rarely misses tackles and takes good angles.
Abney’s biggest issue will be his over-physicality, contributing to 13 penalties across his two seasons of meaningful snaps. He also doesn’t have the most imposing build, and will lack the strength to ever be particularly effective in shedding blocks.
Keith Abney II 2025 Stats
12 games: 44 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 14 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles forced, 44.4% receptions allowed
7. Chris Johnson, San Diego State
CB | 6’0″ | 193 lbs | 4th Year
Chris Johnson Scouting Report
Chris Johnson is a rapidly ascending prospect who was the picture of consistency for San Diego State this past year. The highest graded coverage corner in the nation, Johnson allowed receptions on only 41% of his targets, with 0 touchdowns allowed.
plays a lot of disciplined coverage, particularly in off-man and zone looks, where his eye discipline and understanding of route concepts allow him to stay connected and limit easy throws. Johnson isn’t a corner who wins purely with burst or rare movement skills, but he compensates with good balance, patience at the line of scrimmage, and a calm approach at the top of routes that keeps him from getting out of position. He’s comfortable tackling in space and doesn’t shy away from run support, which fits the defensive expectations SDSU places on its corners.
He has decent size and athletic traits, but doesn’t necessarily stand out. He didn’t get to put up film against any particularly notable receivers this past season, and will need to prove he can continue his success against faster, more physical receivers.
Chris Johnson 2025 Stats
11 games: 49 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 13 passes defended, 4 interceptions, 1 fumble forced, 41.9% receptions allowed
8. Colton Hood, Tennessee
CB | 6’0″ | 193 lbs | 3rd Year
Colton Hood Scouting Report
Colton Hood has played for 3 schools in 3 years, but it’s hard to argue that his most all-around play came this past season with Tennessee.
After a redshirt at Auburn and a productive 2024 at Colorado where he had 24 tackles, two interceptions and a knack for flipping turnovers into big plays, Hood emerged as one of the SEC’s most consistent corners for the Vols in 2025. His strength is in his coverage instincts and his ability to stick with receivers in both man and zone looks while rarely getting caught out of phase. Hood makes plays on the ball and has two defensive touchdowns to show for it, and he earned SEC week honors and Jim Thorpe Award semifinal recognition for his play. He is comfortable pressing at the line and shows aggressive competitiveness in run support.
There’s still a lot of polish needed in his technique, both in coverage and as a tackler. But if he can continue his current trajectory, he has a chance to be a long time NFL starter.
Colton Hood 2025 Stats
12 games: 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 9 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 fumble forced, 53.8% receptions allowed
9. Daylen Everette, Georgia
CB | 6’1″ | 196 lbs | 4th Year
Daylen Everette Scouting Report
Daylen Everette has had the attention of NFL scouts ever since his sophomore season in 2023. With prototypical NFL traits for a corner including a strong frame and all-around athletic traits, Everette has the potential to continue to develop beyond his solid performance in college.
Everette is a former 5 star recruit who has had an up-and-down career, but has flashes a ton of potential throughout that time. His size and length allow him to get physical with bigger receivers, while also having enough foot quickness and recovery speed to matchup with faster receivers. He makes pretty good use of his hands and does a good job re-routing receivers in man coverage.
The biggest problem for Everette has always been instincts. He tends to need to fully see the play before reacting, making him late to react in off coverage or in zone. Aside from that, his overall technique took a step forward this past season, and that’s exactly what NFL teams wanted to see.
Daylen Everette 2025 Stats
13 games: 50 tackles, 11 passes defended, 1 interception, 55.9% receptions allowed
10. Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State
CB | 6’2″ | 189 lbs | 4th Year
Davison Igbinosun Scouting Report
Davison Igbinosun looks the part of an NFL corner, with elite size, good athleticism, and a ton of experience. Igbinosun started over 50 games in college and appeared in several more, including a national championship run in 2024.
Teams are always looking for big corners who aren’t super tight in the hips, and Igbinosun has those uncoachable traits. At 6’2″ 190+ pounds, he is physical in press coverage and plays with an aggressive mentality. He can recognize plays quickly both in pass coverage and run defense, and is impressive in his ability to set the edge and shed blockers for a corner. Igbinosun has a good first step and open field speed, and has enough underneath quickness to stick with receivers in man coverage.
Tackling could get a bit more consistent and he doesn’t have the smoothest backpedal, but undoubtably the biggest issue for Igbinosun is how grabby he is. He led all of college football in penalties in 2024 (16 penalties), and while that number was lower this past year, he really wasn’t any less grabby. He has a lot of bad habits to fix when he’s beaten on a play, and will need to learn to spot the football and improve his hand placement if he’s going to reach his ceiling in the NFL.
Davison Igbinosun 2025 Stats
14 games: 53 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 10 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 47.8% receptions allowed
Complete 2026 NFL Draft Cornerback Rankings
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | AGE | HT | WT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mansoor Delane | LSU | 4th | 6'0" | 187 |
| 2 | Jermod McCoy | Tennessee | 3rd | 6'1" | 188 |
| 3 | Avieon Terrell | Clemson | 3rd | 5'11" | 186 |
| 4 | Brandon Cisse | South Carolina | 3rd | 6'0" | 189 |
| 5 | D'Angelo Ponds | Indiana | 3rd | 5'9" | 182 |
| 6 | Keith Abney II | Arizona State | 3rd | 5'10" | 187 |
| 7 | Chris Johnson | San Diego State | 4th | 6'0" | 193 |
| 8 | Colton Hood | Tennessee | 3rd | 6'0" | 193 |
| 9 | Daylen Everette | Georgia | 4th | 6'1" | 196 |
| 10 | Davison Igbinosun | Ohio State | 4th | 6'2" | 189 |
| 11 | Treydan Stukes | Arizona | 6th | 6'1" | 190 |
| 12 | Devin Moore | Florida | 4th | 6'3" | 198 |
| 13 | Will Lee III | Texas A&M | 5th | 6'2" | 189 |
| 14 | Malik Muhammad | Texas | 3rd | 6'0" | 182 |
| 15 | Chandler Rivers | Duke | 4th | 5'10" | 185 |
| 16 | Julian Neal | Arkansas | 5th | 6'2" | 203 |
| 17 | Hezekiah Masses | California | 4th | 6'1" | 179 |
| 18 | Jadon Canady | Oregon | 5th | 5'11" | 181 |
| 19 | Tacario Davis | Washington | 4th | 6'4" | 194 |
| 20 | Charles Demmings | Stephen F. Austin | 4th | 6'1" | 193 |
| 21 | Latrell McCutchin Sr. | Houston | 5th | 6'2" | 191 |
| 22 | Collin Wright | Stanford | 4th | 6'0" | 188 |
| 23 | Ephesians Prysock | Washington | 4th | 6'3" | 196 |
| 24 | Devon Marshall | NC State | 4th | 5'10" | 197 |
| 25 | Marcus Allen | North Carolina | 4th | 6'2" | 187 |
| 26 | Domani Jackson | Alabama | 4th | 6'1" | 194 |
| 27 | Fred Davis II | Northwestern | 6th | 6'0" | 197 |
| 28 | Thaddeus Dixon | North Carolina | 5th | 6'1" | 195 |
| 29 | Andre Fuller | Toledo | 6th | 6'1" | 200 |
| 30 | Al'zillion Hamilton | Fresno State | 5th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 31 | Toriano Pride Jr. | Missouri | 4th | 5'10" | 185 |
| 32 | TJ Hall | Iowa | 4th | 6'1" | 189 |
| 33 | Cam Miller | Rutgers | 4th | 6'0" | 190 |
| 34 | Brent Austin | California | 4th | 5'11" | 176 |
| 35 | Jaylon Guilbeau | Texas | 4th | 5'11" | 190 |
| 36 | Kani Walker | Arkansas | 5th | 6'2" | 205 |
| 37 | Josh Moten | Southern Miss | 6th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 38 | Avery Smith | Toledo | 4th | 5'11" | 196 |
| 39 | Preston Hodge | Colorado | 5th | 6'0" | 195 |
| 40 | Tyreek Chappell | Texas A&M | 5th | 5'10" | 181 |
| 41 | Jerry Wilson | Florida State | 4th | 5'10" | 185 |
| 42 | Jalen Jones | William & Mary | 5th | 6'0" | 195 |
| 43 | Ahmari Harvey | Georgia Tech | 5th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 44 | Duce Chestnut | Syracuse | 5th | 6'0" | 200 |
| 45 | A'Marion McCoy | Boise State | 5th | 6'0" | 175 |
| 46 | De'Shawn Rucker | South Florida | 5th | 6'0" | 195 |
| 47 | Tony Grimes | Purdue | 6th | 6'0" | 195 |
| 48 | Devonta Smith | Notre Dame | 5th | 5'11" | 191 |
| 49 | Jeremiah Earby | Boise State | 4th | 6'2" | 185 |
| 50 | DeCarlos Nicholson | USC | 6th | 6'3" | 195 |
| 51 | Jamel Johnson | NC State | 4th | 5'11" | 190 |
| 52 | Jonquis Hardaway | Kentucky | 4th | 6'3" | 190 |
| 53 | Kolbey Taylor | Vanderbilt | 5th | 6'3" | 184 |
| 54 | Jeremiah McClendon | Southern Illinois | 5th | 6'0" | 180 |
| 55 | Karon Prunty | Wake Forest | 6th | 6'2" | 180 |
| 56 | Aamaris Brown | UNLV | 6th | 5'10" | 193 |
| 57 | Dontae Balfour | Texas Tech | 5th | 6'2" | 180 |
| 58 | Ricardo Hallman | Wisconsin | 5th | 5'10" | 185 |
| 59 | Ayden Garnes | Arizona | 5th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 60 | Rashad Battle | Pittsburgh | 6th | 6'3" | 195 |
| 61 | Ceyair Wright | Nebraska | 5th | 6'0" | 184 |
| 62 | Kobe Singleton | Oregon State | 6th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 63 | Jordan Young | Arkansas | 5th | 6'0" | 195 |
| 64 | Michael Dansby | Arizona | 4th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 65 | Bryce Phillips | San Diego State | 5th | 6'0" | 195 |
| 66 | Stephen Hall | Missouri | 6th | 6'0" | 205 |
| 67 | DaShawn Jones | Alabama | 5th | 6'0" | 190 |
| 68 | Jarod Washington | South Carolina State | 5th | 6'0" | 186 |
| 69 | Michael Coats Jr. | West Virginia | 6th | 5'10" | 175 |
| 70 | Deuce Harmon | SMU | 5th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 71 | Kasyus Kurns | Tarleton State | 6th | 5'10" | 170 |
| 72 | Caleb Offord | Kennesaw State | 6th | 6'2" | 200 |
| 73 | DJ Graham | Kansas | 6th | 6'0" | 205 |
| 74 | David Fisher | North Texas | 5th | 5'10" | 187 |
| 75 | DJ Harvey | USC | 5th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 76 | Dreyden Norwood | Missouri | 5th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 77 | Dakerric Hobbs | New Mexico State | 5th | 6'0" | 195 |
| 78 | Jeadyn Lukus | Clemson | 4th | 6'2" | 200 |
| 79 | Ayinde Johnson | Rhode Island | 5th | 5'11" | 200 |
| 80 | Channing Canada | TCU | 5th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 81 | Marc Stampley II | Houston | 4th | 5'11" | 180 |
| 82 | Ethan Johnson | Appalachian State | 4th | 5'11" | 195 |
| 83 | Colby Humphrey | Washington State | 6th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 84 | Mark Davis Jr. | Vanderbilt | 7th | 6'2" | 195 |
| 85 | Torrie Cox Jr. | Illinois | 5th | 5'9" | 170 |
| 86 | Malcom Dewalt IV | Akron | 4th | 6'1" | 188 |
| 87 | Ben Osueke | Temple | 5th | 6'1" | 190 |
| 88 | Brian Blades II | Florida International | 5th | 5'11" | 180 |
| 89 | Myles Brodie | Towson | 7th | 5'11" | 178 |
| 90 | Neil Campbell | UTEP | 6th | 5'11" | 205 |
| 91 | Andrew Smith | Tennessee Tech | 5th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 92 | Malcolm Bell | Michigan State | 5th | 6'2" | 190 |
| 93 | Lemondre Joe | Colorado State | 5th | 5'10" | 180 |
| 94 | AJ Odums | Nevada | 5th | 5'10" | 180 |
| 95 | Nahil Perkins | Samford | 6th | 6'0" | 170 |
| 96 | Aaron Harris | North Carolina A&T | 5th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 97 | Elijah Culp | James Madison | 6th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 98 | Botros Alisandro | Old Dominion | 4th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 99 | Jaden Rios | Texas State | 5th | 6'2" | 190 |
| 100 | Justus Johnson | SE Missouri State | 4th | 6'1" | 185 |
| 101 | Lardarius Webb | Wake Forest | 5th | 5'9" | 170 |
| 102 | Avante Dickerson | Arkansas State | 5th | 5'11" | 180 |
| 103 | Rodney Johnson | Louisville | 5th | 6'2" | 200 |
| 104 | Jason Chambers | West Virginia | 4th | 5'10" | 187 |
| 105 | Joshua Eaton | Michigan State | 6th | 6'1" | 190 |
| 106 | Anthony Chideme-Alfaro | North Dakota State | 6th | 6'2" | 205 |
| 107 | Malcolm Greene | Massachusetts | 6th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 108 | Jordan Robinson | Virginia | 5th | 6'3" | 206 |
| 109 | Darnell Stephens | Fort Valley State | 6th | 6'1" | 185 |
| 110 | Jalen McClendon | Bowling Green | 5th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 111 | Abraham Williams | New Mexico | 6th | 6'1" | 185 |
| 112 | Cecil Powell | Sam Houston State | 7th | 6'0" | 213 |
| 113 | Vincent Nwachi | Maine | 6th | 6'3" | 200 |
| 114 | Logan Wilson | Cincinnati | 7th | 5'9" | 173 |
| 115 | Dorrian Smith | Georgia Southern | 5th | 5'10" | 185 |
| 116 | Rance Conner | Valdosta State | 5th | 5'11" | 190 |
| 117 | Kalen Frazier | Indiana (PA) | 4th | 5'11" | 186 |
| 118 | Quentin Moten | Northern Arizona | 5th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 119 | Caleb Anderson | Michigan | 6th | 6'2" | 204 |
| 120 | Kaleno Levine | Troy | 6th | 5'11" | 180 |
| 121 | Ben Knox | South Florida | 6th | 6'2" | 200 |
| 122 | Tank Pearson | Ohio | 6th | 5'8" | 166 |
| 123 | Nasir Bowers | Toledo | 4th | 5'9" | 180 |
| 124 | Denver Harris | UNLV | 4th | 6'0" | 190 |
| 125 | Dainsus Miller | Wyoming | 4th | 5'10" | 170 |
| 126 | Onye Onuoha | Butler | 6th | 6'0" | 205 |
| 127 | Vito Tisdale | Eastern Kentucky | 6th | 5'11" | 175 |
| 128 | Gavin Bryson | Tennessee Tech | 4th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 129 | JaMichael McGoy Jr. | UT-Martin | 5th | 5'9" | 168 |
| 130 | Paul Manning | Henderson State | 4th | 6'0" | 188 |
| 131 | TJ Huggins | Florida A&M | 5th | 6'3" | 185 |
| 132 | Klayten Batten | Shepherd | 6th | 5'10" | 185 |
| 133 | Jordan Washington | Stanford | 5th | 6'0" | 190 |
| 134 | Lee Coleman | Kutztown | 4th | 5'11" | 186 |
| 135 | Marlon Jones Jr. | Vanderbilt | 7th | 6'1" | 190 |
| 136 | Rahmareon Roby | North Central (IL) | 4th | 5'11" | 190 |
| 137 | Dathan Hickey | Youngstown State | 8th | 6'1" | 202 |
| 138 | Jackson Zimmerman | Colorado-Mines | 5th | 6'1" | 183 |
| 139 | Patrick Cumberbatch | Ottawa | 4th | 6'1" | 192 |
| 140 | NiJhay Burt | Michigan State | 4th | 5'11" | 190 |
| 141 | Ahmond Glass | Indiana State | 7th | 5'11" | 170 |
| 142 | Shahid Barros | Iowa | 5th | 6'0" | 183 |
| 143 | Markevious Brown | Purdue | 6th | 5'11" | 175 |
| 144 | Elias Archie | Brown | 4th | 5'10" | 180 |
| 145 | Steve Weston | Ouachita Baptist | 4th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 146 | Isaiah Reed | UCF | 5th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 147 | Jayden Patrick | Lindenwood | 4th | 5'11" | 190 |
| 148 | Chase Whitebear | Oklahoma Baptist | 4th | 6'0" | 193 |
| 149 | Collin Gamble | California | 6th | 5'10" | 200 |
| 150 | Sammy Anderson Jr. | Connecticut | 6th | 6'0" | 185 |
| 151 | Colin Kaufmann | Baldwin Wallace | 4th | 5'10" | 180 |
| 152 | Jalen Burton | West Georgia | 5th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 153 | Dee'Shon Swafford | College of Idaho | 5th | 5'10" | 180 |
| 154 | Carlos Dunovant | Morehouse State | 4th | 6'1" | 190 |
| 155 | Gavin Smith | Central | 4th | 6'0" | 190 |
| 156 | Kosta Thrasivoulou | Mount Union | 4th | 5'9" | 155 |
| 157 | Chris Winslow | New England | 4th | 5'8" | 165 |
| 158 | Deveon Moses | Dakota State | 4th | 6'0" | 180 |
| 159 | Charles Du | Notre Dame | 4th | 5'10" | 180 |
MORE NFL DRAFT RANKINGS
Traits That Make a CB Prospect Great
To be an elite cornerback, you need to be able to run backwards as fast as the best receivers can run forwards. You need elite stop and star ability, great length to break up passes, along with the ability to tackle. Understandably, cornerback is heavily reliant on physical traits. Length, quickness, and speed are among some of the most important factors of scouting the top cornerback prospects.
Some of the factors we consider when scouting are included below.
Fluidity
Fluidity and flexibility, particularly in the hips, is a can’t miss trait for a corner. The ability to turn and run and defend like a basketball player in a standard part of most pass coverage routes. A corner also needs a smooth backpedal and elite start-stop ability. Fluidity can’t really be coached, but it’s needed to match up with the elite athletes at wide receiver.
Length
Length is another uncoachable trait that allows a corner to disrupt at the catch point and break off passes. Corners with short arms rarely get drafted because they have a much smaller margin or error in coverage and have to get closer to a receiver to jam them at the line of scrimmage.
Quickness & Speed
For other position I’ve separated out these two traits, but they’re both vital when determining cornerback draft rankings. Having quick feet underneath with help you stay in good position and effectively mirror your receiver. Speed is also necessary to turn and run on a deep route, helping with recovery and reducing the need for safety help.
Coverage Technique
Athletic traits are necessary, but a cornerback will need some fine tuned technique to succeed in the NFL. Maintaining tight coverage, staying in phase during man or press man coverage, and being aggressive without getting penalties are just a few aspects of good coverage corners.
2026 CB Draft Prospects FAQs
Who is the best CB in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The top cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft is currently Mansoor Delane from LSU. The senior played All-American level football last season, proving to be an elite cover corner who rarely makes mistakes.
How good is the cornerback draft class in 2026?
The 2026 cornerback class is considered slightly weaker than average. A couple key players had injuries this season, and there weren’t many true risers or young stars developing.
