Tag: cornerbacks

Nov 15, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Mansoor Delane (4) reacts to a stop on fourth down against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Top 5 Cornerback prospects in 2026 Draft

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ahead of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Field Level Media draft analysts ranked the top prospects at every position.

Cornerbacks arrive in Indianapolis on Tuesday and begin team interviews by request.

They are scheduled for media availability Thursday, on-field position drills, 40-yard dash and agility workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday and bench press on Saturday.

1. Mansoor Delane, LSU
6-0, 190
Delane spent three years at Virginia Tech and had 29 starts when he jumped to LSU. His dominant senior season in 2025 provided further evidence he’s an NFL-caliber shutdown corner.

2. Avieon Terrell, Clemson
5-11, 190
Speed, quickness, burst and natural instincts in coverage and plus traits as a run defender.

3. Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
5-10, 193
Torn ACL scrapped 2025 season, making the Scouting Combine medicals a huge landmark on his pre-draft journey. Based on 2024 game film, he’s a first-round lock if healthy.

4. Colton Hood, Tennessee
6-0, 195
While McCoy was healing, Hood was dealing. A breakout 2025 season for arguably the top press-man corner in the class.

5. Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
6-0, 190
A leading candidate to light up combine workouts with length and Olympic-sprinter speed. If you thought Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) found the first round last year with his 4.28 40, Cisse is more than capable of doing the same. Scouts might still question instincts but length and long speed are great baselines.

If you are looking for a candidate to close the gap on the top cornerbacks in the class before the 2026 NFL Draft, San Diego State’s Chris Johnson is a certified blazer who blanketed Mountain West receivers in man coverage and has a burst to close on the ball when playing off.

Here are the defensive backs who received invitations to participate among 319 NFL prospects at the 2026 combine:

Keith Abney II, Arizona State
Marcus Allen, North Carolina
Jadon Canady, Oregon
Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
Bud Clark, TCU
Tacario Davis, Washington
Mansoor Delane, LSU
Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin
Thaddeus Dixon, North Carolina
Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Daylen Everette, Georgia
Bishop Fitzgerald, USC
Andre Fuller, Toledo
Jaylon Guilbeau, Texas
TJ Hall, Iowa
Ahmari Harvey, Georgia Tech
A.J. Haulcy, LSU
Colton Hood, Tennessee
Jalen Huskey, Maryland
Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State
Domani Jackson, Alabama
Chris Johnson, San Diego State
Dalton Johnson, Arizona
Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Will Lee III, Texas A&M
Hezekiah Masses, Cal
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Latrell McCutchin Sr., Houston
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Devin Moore, Florida
Louis Moore, Indiana
Ahmaad Moses, SMU
Malik Muhammad, Texas
Julian Neal, Arkansas
Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
VJ Payne, Kansas State
D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
Toriano Pride Jr., Missouri
Ephesians Prysock, Washington
Kamari Ramsey, USC
Chandler Rivers, Duke
Keionte Scott, Miami
DeShon Singleton, Nebraska
Avery Smith, Toledo
Genesis Smith, Arizona
Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma
Treydan Stukes, Arizona
Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State
Michael Taaffe, Texas
Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Jakobe Thomas, Miami
Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Collin Wright, Stanford

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Cam Hart (5) breaks up a pass intended for Navy Midshipmen wide receiver Mark Walker (80) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Take 5: Top CB prospects eligible for 2024 NFL Draft

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Scouts considered the climb of Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon unexpected, as the No. 5 overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks came out of nowhere as an unrated recruit to the top of the CB class in the 2023 draft.

Which cornerbacks could emerge from the pool of talent as surefire first-rounders is open to debate with the 2024 draft class.

Here are five prospects to keep an eye on for next year’s group, where Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry appears to be the only potential blue-chipper with top-15 tools.

1. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama — A junior this coming season, McKinstry has been in the starting lineup since he was a freshman and was an All-American last season.

It’s no surprise given his natural ability and coverage skills. The former top recruit wows with outstanding balance, agility and stickiness in man coverage.

The ability to match up against almost anyone from a size or speed perspective is highly coveted by NFL teams and should make McKinstry the favorite to be the top corner in ’24.

2. Cam Hart, Notre Dame — A redshirt junior in 2023, Hart is huge, standing at 6-3, 200 pounds.

He has the prototypical build teams want for an outside corner with fluid movement skills. He can flip his hips and latch on in man coverage. The final piece of the puzzle is developing his read-and-react skills.

Teams that desire big, physical corners in press could fall in love with Hart but injuries in 2022 have teams wanting to see him return to 2021 form.

3. Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn — This super senior is trailed by some of the size questions that will tail teammate D.J. James (see below), but he has outstanding length with 33-inch arms, a major aid in jamming receivers at the line and making plays on the ball even when a step behind in man coverage.

His zone coverage chops are raw, but he’ll be one of the best senior man coverage corners available.

Expect him to draw another Senior Bowl invite and push for a second-round draft grade.

4. Kamari Lassiter, Georgia — A junior without top-end size or speed, limiting his chances to be a first-rounder. Even so, there’s plenty to love about his game. He’s technically sound in coverage with great balance and body control, rarely pulls himself out of position with mental mistakes and has a final eval that will greatly depend on testing data.

Lassiter will receive plenty of attention as a developed starter for a two-time national champion.

5. D.J. James, Auburn — Another “super senior” and one half of the Auburn duo that received Senior Bowl 2023 invites and passed them up to return to the Tigers.

James ended the 2022 season as a lean 175-pounder at 6-foot-1, but the string-bean figure doesn’t show up as the negative you’d expect. His footwork and technique in man coverage do need to be cleaned up.

A long strider with the speed to run vertically and the length to play the ball in the air, James could make a big jump on 2024 draft boards with another season to tune his tools to be in the top 75.

–Field Level Media

Oct 18, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Travis Fulgham (13) catches an 18-yard touchdown pass against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) and cornerback Marcus Peters (24) during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens’ Smith out, four other CBs questionable

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Veteran Jimmy Smith was ruled out and four other Baltimore cornerbacks are listed as questionable for Sunday’s home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Smith will miss the contest due to rib and shoulder injuries. Star corner Marcus Peters (calf) is questionable, along with Anthony Averett (ankle), Davontae Harris (ankle) and Tramon Williams (thigh).

Peters, who was injured during Monday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, didn’t practice this week. He has missed just three games in six NFL seasons.

Marlon Humphrey, who leads the NFL with eight forced fumbles, is the team’s lone healthy cornerback.

“We’re just learning as we go,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of the dilemma involving the cornerbacks. “It’s only Friday, so we’ll see when we get there.”

The Ravens (8-5) could promote Pierre Desir off the practice squad or activate Terrell Bonds (knee) from injured reserve.

Also, linebacker Kristian Welch (foot) was ruled out of the contest. Starting defensive ends Calais Campbell (calf) and Derek Wolfe (neck/back), safety Anthony Levine Sr. (abdomen), tight end Luke Willson (hip), and defensive tackle Broderick Washington (concussion) are also listed as questionable.

–Field Level Media