1. Davison Igbinosun
Ohio State • Senior • 6’2 • 190
Ohio State defensive backs are some of the best in the nation, and their secondary was absolutely dominating this season, as it showed in the CFB playoff. Everyone will know Denzel Burke, but Igbinosun is a guy who will fly under the radar, despite being a great player in his own right. He’s an incredible athlete with good length and has shown some quality production to match it. If he tests well at the combine, I think we will see him move up boards at a rapid pace. He already has an excellent feel for the game and good technique, and I suspect his athleticism is a major plus. May be one of my favorite guys down the line.
2. Jermod McCoy
Tennessee • Junior • 6’0 • 195
McCoy, being the top corner in the draft, should be a unanimous pick among NFL draft scouts, and he has a reputation for being a nightmare for opposing receivers. While he is not the strongest corner, McCoy is plenty physical and does a great job throwing receivers off their route path with good press at the line of scrimmage, where he gets his hands on them early and holds his ground. He is a high-quality tackler on the outside and does a great job jumping plays before they have even developed to force minimal gain. He sticks to a receiver’s hip like glue and is one of the hardest guys to get separation from in man coverage. He has excellent ball skills, and you will struggle to find many things you don’t like about McCoy. He is a bit thin and has struggled with injuries, but his skills are undeniable, and he will be one of the best corners in football very soon.
3. Mansoor Delane
LSU • Senior • 6’1 • 190
One of my top players in the transfer portal this offseason was Mansoor Delane, who elected to return to school for his senior season rather than declare for the NFL draft, and so far, it has looked like a great decision. He chose to leave Virginia Tech and moved to Baton Rouge to play his final season at LSU. Immediately, the Tigers felt the impact Delane has on defense, as he locked down several Clemson wide receivers and forced an interception and a fumble by Cade Klubnik. Delane was just a three-star recruit when he committed to Virginia Tech, and he made an impact as a full-time starter alongside Dorian Strong the second he arrived in Blacksburg. Athletically, he’s a gifted player who is one of the best man-to-man corners in this year’s class. He sticks to the hip of a receiver and uses his long arms to make plays on the ball. He has fluid hips and does a great job reading the route of his receiver and breaks on the ball hard and quickly. Solid in both man and zone, and is an average tackler. He can play in the slot, but I think his size suits him well to play on the outside at the pro level.
4. Avieon Terrell
Clemson • Junior • 5’11 • 180
Football runs in the Terrell family, as his brother, AJ, is one of the best DBs in the NFL on the Atlanta Falcons. Avieon shows traits very similar to his older brother’s, with elite instincts and an excellent feel for the game that keeps him glued to a receiver’s hip downfield. Despite being a little smaller than his brother, Avieon can be physical and play at the line of scrimmage, jamming guys effectively. He even got some time in the nickel role in 2024, where he was effective. Terrell can get burned at times, but he has the skills to stick with anyone he faces and is plenty physical to make tackles in the run game. Should be a valuable outside guy in the NFL.
5. D’Angelo Ponds
Indiana • Junior • 5’9 • 170
Despite being undersized, Ponds is a legitimate defensive back prospect who I think will fit best in a zone-heavy scheme. Ponds is not an elite coverage corner, but he does play with the speed and quickness to keep up with players on the outside. He found his way onto the field as a freshman at Indiana and has snatched five interceptions in his career. His feel for the game and elite ball skills help him make up for a lack of physicality, and his light frame gives him a quick, twitchy athletic profile. Ponds is a good tackler, which comes as a surprise, but he is more than capable of contributing to the run game, blitzing, and making open-field plays.
6. Brandon Cisse
South Carolina • Junior • 6’0 • 190
Cisse has been a big-time late riser, putting together an impressive season for the Gamecocks. The transfer from NC State has looked exceptional in coverage this year and has shown up consistently on the biggest stages of college football. In man coverage, he is a great athlete to stick at the hip of any receiver, but also has the physicality to outmuscle someone for the ball. He is a quality tackler with instincts to get into the backfield and make plays in space. I love the way South Carolina develops corners, and while I am almost always against helmet scouting players, Cisse plays with the swagger and strength you often see from South Carolina. Could improve on his ball skills to force more turnovers. He feels like a good late first-round pick who plays day one.
7. Chris Johnson
San Diego State • Senior • 6’0 • 180
Johnson has been one of the best late risers in the draft this year, flashing elite ball skills and much-improved physicality from last season. Johnson has a strong frame, and scouts loved his ball skills in the previous season, but some inconsistencies as a tackler and being outmatched by bigger receivers forced him to return to school. This season, SDSU has lined Johnson up in press coverage significantly more, and his ability to impact receivers’ routes at the line of scrimmage is impressive. Athletically, he always had the skills to succeed as an NFL corner, but he knew polishing his skills in coverage and improving his ability as a tackler would boost his stock. Johnson’s return has been great for his stock, and this year he has really impressed with his ability to play in coverage as well as tackle in space. Johnson is one of the better coverage corners in the class, and his improved tackling will likely get him drafted earlier than you expect.
8. Keith Abney II
Arizona State • Junior • 5’11 • 195
A physical, aggressive, athletically gifted corner with elite ball skills on the outside is exactly what teams are looking for in the modern NFL. Abney is just that. Over the last two years, Abney has been a significant part of the Sun Devils’ defense and has often matched up against the opposing team’s best receiver in man coverage or Cover 3 zone. He really flashed in the College Football Playoff against Texas and throughout the year showed the ability to stick at the hip of a receiver and make plays on the ball downfield. While he may not have elite size or length, he has plenty of physicality and makes all the open-field tackles you can ask a corner to make. He has decent speed, but really fluid hips to flip downfield and stick with a receiver. He’s plenty physical and never backs down from the competition. Over the last couple of seasons, the Big 12 has put out some very talented receivers, but Abney has looked great against all of them. He should have a day-one impact in the NFL.
9. Colton Hood
Tennessee • Sophomore • 6’0 • 195
Hood has broken out this season after bouncing around for each of his first three seasons in college football. He started his career at Auburn, where he received limited playing time, and transferred to Colorado, where he played for Deion Sanders and alongside No. 2 pick Travis Hunter. Hood showed some solid skills, playing in a loaded defensive back room with both Hunter and McKinney. Hood transferred again and this year has found his way to Tennessee, where he was initially going to play alongside Jermod McCoy, but an injury to McCoy vaulted Hood into the CB1 role. Hood has excelled and has proven to be one of the best zone corners in this year’s class. His success as a tackler and in flat zone coverage may boost his stock enough to entice him to come out early in this year’s draft.
10. Julian Neal
Arkansas • Senior • 6’2 • 200
Neal is one of the most physically skilled and dominant outside corners in this year’s draft. His blend of size and strength is unique for the corner position, but he does not let it limit his mobility. He has average-to-above-average speed and is sticky in coverage on the outside. He has some trouble finding the ball and making plays to cause pass breakups or interceptions, but he does a good job closing windows and making it hard for the quarterback to feel comfortable finding an open receiver. Neal is an elite zone corner and is known for his ability to tackle and keep his eyes on the backfield, impacting the game as both a tackler and with hard hits. He is one of the best tacklers in the class, and if he can improve his ability to play the ball in man coverage, he will have an excellent NFL career.
11. Ephesians Prysock
Washington • Senior • 6’4 • 195
Prysock is one of my favorite players in this year’s draft and is precisely the type of corner I would look to add with a mid-round pick. He is a long, athletic player who uses his big frame to gain early leverage in man coverage and to take away passing lanes in zone coverage. He is a physical player, but because of his height and length, sometimes it can be hard for him to fight through blocks. As a whole, he is a quality tackler, something teams who run a high volume of zone defense will like. Prysock is a better zone defender than a man defender, but against Ohio State, he held his own in man almost every time he was lined up across from Jeremiah Smith. Prysock has elite athletic traits, great instincts, and the consistency to have a long NFL career as a boundary cornerback.
12. Thaddeus Dixon
North Carolina • Senior • 6’0 • 195
Watching a 2025 North Carolina football game is not for the faint of heart, as they finished fourth to the bottom of the ACC, despite being coached by legendary coach Bill Belichick. The defense for the Tar Heels was a nightmare outside of their two bright spots at corner, Dixon and Allen. Dixon is one of the most polished corners in the draft, with a great NFL frame and really strong instincts in coverage to come up and play the ball consistently. He is a strong tackler and his strong, stocky build is helpful when he comes up against the run or against screen passes. He seems to have good length and I am consistently impressed by his physicality to play through the man and get to the ball. His skill set is highly desirable by NFL teams looking for a corner who can rotate on the outside, and while he may not be a superstar, I strongly think he can be a day one starter in the NFL. He also has experience in an NFL-style defense under the Belichicks.
13. Christian Gray
Notre Dame • Junior • 6’0 • 185
One of the most significant parts of Notre Dame’s National Championship push was their electric secondary, headlined by Christian Gray, who has proven to be one of the best physical outside corners in college football. While he is only 185, Gray does a great job jumping on receivers at the line of scrimmage and getting his hands on guys within the first five yards. While his frame may not suggest dominating strength or athleticism, Gray is an elite tackler and sticks with some of the more physical receivers in coverage. He has elite play recognition, and there is a great clip of him in the National Championship yelling to his defense about the play call… unfortunately, they did not listen. Gray has made an impact on the Notre Dame defense since his freshman year, and his athletic tools, combined with great play recognition and physicality, will make for an excellent NFL corner.
14. Malik Muhammad
Texas • Junior • 6’0 • 185
Muhammad was widely regarded as a top-75 recruit nationally when he committed to Texas, but little did we know the impact he would have on the Longhorns in his incredible career. From the moment he arrived in Austin, Muhammad took over a starter role and, in his sophomore year, helped make one of the best secondaries in football, next to first-round pick Jahdae Barron. With Barron often lining up in the slot, Muhammad usually had the task of taking on the opposing team’s best receiver, a challenge he loved and excelled at. In the College Football Playoff, Muhammad helped shut down future first-round picks Jeremiah Smith and Jordyn Tyson, as well as guys like Ryan Williams and other top receivers across the SEC. Teams may be concerned that he is thin and lacks the athletic traits they are looking for, but the results don’t lie; Muhammad will have a great career in the NFL.
15. Devin Moore
Florida • Senior • 6’3 • 195
The main talking point for Moore as we approach the draft will be his size. Corners with his length are hot commodities in the NFL recently, and if his measurements hold up at the combine, he could be an exciting prospect. On film, Moore impressed me with his man coverage skills, sticking at the hip of receivers, especially vertically downfield. Moore does a great job of getting physical and pressing receivers off the line immediately, keeping them from getting into their routes and allowing the defensive line to get there. He does not have great speed or lateral quickness, which will limit how high he goes in the draft, as there will be concerns that smaller, quicker receivers could beat him early. There may also be concerns about his burst to break on routes in zone coverage, and he often gave up mediocre gains on balls right in front of him. He is a solid run defender and a sure tackler, but he doesn’t fight through blocks well and can often be forced out of the play by stronger receivers or tight ends. If Moore tests better than expected, he could fly up draft boards.
16. Will Lee III
Texas A&M • Senior • 6’1 • 190
Entering the 2025 season, Will Lee III continues to be one of the most underrated players in the entire class, something he has dealt with his entire football career. After high school, Lee struggled to earn high-quality D1 offers and elected to go JUCO before committing to Kansas State for the 2023 season. He had a lot of success in Manhattan and elected to enter the transfer portal to gauge interest from other programs. Lee found his way to College Station to play with Texas A&M in 2024, where he continued his success and showed that he is one of the most skilled and athletic corners in college football. Lee returned for his final season with hopes of boosting his draft stock even higher, but his athletic traits and ball-hawking production will make him appealing early in the draft.
17. Ricardo Hallman
Wisconsin • Senior • 5’9 • 190
Boy, when you watch Hallman, you would not know that he is just 5’9. He is one of the most physical corners in the draft, and when you watch him play on the outside, you would swear that he is well over 6’0 and 200 pounds. You would expect that a guy who is that size would be limited in his ability to impact the run game and use his length, but Hallman is an impressive run defender and his tackling was one of the biggest highlights of his tape. He is an impressive athlete and really showed off his ball skills in 2023 when he finished the year with seven interceptions, leading the NCAA. He has returned to school twice since then and has now spent five seasons in Wisconsin. Hallman feels like he will be a slot corner at the NFL level, but he has proven himself as a great outside corner over the last three years, and it will be hard to move him away from that. Great player who can make an immediate impact in the NFL.
18. Marcus Allen
North Carolina • Senior • 6’1 • 175
Watching a 2025 North Carolina football game is not for the faint of heart, as they finished fourth to the bottom of the ACC, despite being coached by legendary coach Bill Belichick. The defense for the Tar Heels was a nightmare outside of their two bright spots at corner, Dixon and Allen. Allen is the more unique of the two, and his skills will be very desirable for specific NFL teams. Allen is a long, thin corner, for better or for worse, and his skills are strongly associated with his unique frame. He moves very well, and his ability to stick with quicker receivers is impressive. Allen will not win with physicality, but he does a great job winning against bigger receivers because of his length to get his hands on the ball. In press man, Allen struggles to get his hands on guys at the line of scrimmage, which is concerning, but he does a good job using quick feet to stay with them. Allen is a subpar run defender, but he is able to make wrap-up tackles and is willing to do so. His thin frame could raise injury concerns, but for teams looking for a hybrid corner who can do it all, Allen would be a good late-round fit.
19. Domani Jackson
Alabama • Senior • 6’1 • 195
Jackson was one of my favorite players in the 2025 class, and I had a first-round grade on him before he decided to return to Alabama. Jackson is very possibly the best athlete in the entire class, with elite speed and size for the corner position. We all know about Jackson’s size and impressive frame, but what really puts him over the top is his blazing speed. Jackson was a track star and one of the best 100-meter sprinters in the nation, winning the California state championship and setting the state record. Jackson is not just a straight-line speed guy, but comes with quickness and physicality that allow him to be sticky in coverage and make plays on the ball. Jackson is one of my favorite players in the class, and I look forward to seeing his skills in the draft.
20. Toriano Pride Jr.
Missouri • Senior • 5’10 • 185
Pride is a thin, undersized coverage corner who relies on his impressive movement skills to stick with receivers from the outside. After starting his college career at Clemson, where he was one of the best freshman defenders in the nation, Pride saw a dip in production as a sophomore and became one of the top players in the transfer portal. He landed at Missouri, where they hoped he would be a star coverage corner who could follow opposing teams’ best receivers all over the field. So far, Pride is proving to be a very solid man-to-man corner who can stick at the hip of a receiver throughout the entirety of their route. His lack of physicality may cause concern at the NFL level, as teams may feel he is not able to press at the line of scrimmage and could be outmatched by bigger receivers. As of today, Pride profiles more as a depth corner who will immediately have an impact on special teams, despite his subpar tackling ability. He could find a role in the NFL as an outside coverage corner.
SLOT CORNER
1. Keionte Scott
Miami • Senior • 6’0 • 190
Scott was a guy who started near the bottom of my draft board for corners, but has skyrocketed into my top 50 with his play this season for the Hurricanes. Lining up in the nickel corner spot, Scott has been elite and has played like one of the best corners in the nation. He has elite instincts to get into the backfield and make plays on the ball, and is absolutely relentless in making tackles. He has excellent athletic ability to stick with receivers in coverage, as well, which teams are looking for from slot corners to disguise blitzes. Scott is also an excellent blitzer and, all around, one of the best nickel prospects in the class. Teams may worry about his first three years with Auburn, where he struggled, but his transfer to Miami has made him a lot of money.
2. Jalon Kilgore
South Carolina • Junior • 6’1 • 210
Year after year, South Carolina produces a corner that I have listed in my top 50, and that flies under the radar, and it has happened yet again. Kilgore is listed as a safety on some boards, but in the South Carolina defense, he consistently lines up in the slot, where he is one of the best players in the class. He has excellent size in the slot, but also plays with a physicality to impact the run game as a tackler. He fills his lane well in the run game and isn’t afraid to blow up a gap and eat some blocks, which allows him to play in the box consistently. While he does not have elite speed, he has incredible anticipation to stick with receivers through their routes and also does a great job jamming guys at the line of scrimmage. Reminds me a lot of L’Jarius Sneed.
3. Daylen Everette
Georgia • Senior • 6’1 • 195
Everette has been on the radar for NFL scouts since his freshman year, when he earned significant play time on the Georgia roster that went on to win the national championship. Everette was a top-20 prospect nationally coming out of high school and immediately made an impact in Athens, earning playing time alongside players like Kelee Ringo and Kamari Lassiter. Finding playtime in Georgia is a tall task for anyone. Still, Georgia coaches have raved about Everette’s impressive mentality and his incredible ability to make impact plays consistently when the team needs him. Everette will not display elite athletic traits, and his average frame and movement skills may cause some concerns about his ceiling. But Everette has excellent instincts, with an innate ability to jump routes early and make big tackles in the backfield. He is incredibly physical, and despite a lack of length, he excels at jamming at the line of scrimmage and breaking up contested catches at the point of attack. Everette has average ball skills, so he relies more on swatting passes rather than forcing interceptions and turnovers. He is also an excellent blitzer, and I think with his impressive instincts and tackling ability, Everette is best suited to play the slot in the NFL, but can kick to the outside as needed if teams start to get thin in the DB room. He has not played the slot much at Georgia, but I think that is his best fit in the NFL.
4. Lorenzo Styles
Ohio State • Senior • 6’1 • 195
Lorenzo Styles is the older of the two Styles brothers on the Ohio State defense. Struggled to find the field consistently before 2025 due to the immense talent in the OSU CB room, with guys like Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun taking most of the outside reps. Now, Ohio State has shifted Styles into a more slot-corner role, where he has been successful. If his family genetics say anything about the Styles brothers… We know they can tackle, and the two of them have been great playing at the line of scrimmage for Ohio State. Styles is a skilled tackler but also is physical, getting in the face of corners and winning in man coverage. Should make a day one impact in the slot at the NFL level. He can move outside some, but his best reps come in the slot.
5. Jalen McMurray
Tennessee • Senior • 6’0 • 185
Tennessee was slated to have maybe the best DB room in the nation this season with McCoy, Hood, and McMurray as their top three corners. But with McCoy out, they have run a lot of nickel sets, relying on McMurry on the majority of downs to play in the slot. Despite being a thin, wiry corner, McMurray has been successful in this role, showing off quickness and impressive athleticism to disrupt plays. He may need to add some bulk in the NFL, as he already struggles to fight through blocks and make tackles, but he is consistently in the right place at the right time. In coverage, he is very polished with fluid hips, quick feet, and long arms that allow him to play through the ball. I love his raw skills, and I think he will be a great rotational corner in the NFL who can fill several roles. He is experienced, having played five years of football, and will be ready to go day one.
6. Jadon Canady
Oregon • Senior • 5’11 • 185
Canady is a rare example of a true slot corner who almost exclusively lines up in the nickel for the Oregon Ducks defense. He is a physical, aggressive corner who likes to get his hands on receivers early in routes and uses his body to keep them off their routes. This is both his biggest strength and weakness as a player. He often does a good job of using his body and physicality to disrupt receivers’ timing. Still, he can be burned by bigger, stronger players who are unaffected by his physicality or can avoid it. He is also a heavily flagged player who often plays the man rather than the ball, which can raise concerns for scouts. He is one of the best tacklers in the class, and he has the athleticism to be a high-quality coverage corner, but it may take some time for him to improve his ball skills. Canady is a solid blitzer and plays better in zone coverage than man coverage. Cover 2/4 defenses will be where he belongs.
7. Robert Spears-Jennings
Oklahoma • Senior • 6’1 • 210
When you start to look at the Oklahoma defense, you will see future NFL players from top to bottom, and RSJ was one of the many impact players who headlined a stout Sooners defense. Spears-Jennings played in a variety of roles at Oklahoma, but was primarily a nickel corner, which is where I think he fits best at the NFL level. At times, you would think RSJ is a linebacker with how he is all over the field, making tackles and consistently making a physical impact in the box. In coverage, RSJ is solid, but his average movement skills can limit his ability to stick with quicker receivers. He is a capable blitzer and is not afraid to make the hard hits on receivers in the flat. He will be very successful in a zone-heavy scheme that will move him around and even use him as a blitzer.
8. Chandler Rivers
Duke • Senior • 5’9 • 185
At Duke, Rivers played the majority of his snaps on the boundary, but his smaller frame and immense physicality make me think he will play much better in the slot at the NFL level. I also think that having the versatility to play all over the field or something that may be valuable to NFL teams could make him a high-quality late-round draft pick because of his ability to move all over the defense. Rivers is a solid man-quarterback who doesn’t mind getting up in a receiver’s face and pushing them off of their route early with a good press punch. He has solid zone coverage in the flats and does a good job making wrap-up tackles to limit Big plays. His lack of size can often bite him on the outside against bigger, more physical receivers, and it often causes him to cover less ground, which will limit him in the NFL.
9. DaShawn Jones
Alabama • Senior • 5’11 • 180
Jones is one of the most experienced corners in this year’s draft, having played three years at Wake Forest before transferring to Alabama in 2024. Just a three-star recruit out of high school, Jones was not considered a top prospect, but he made an immediate impact when he arrived at Wake Forest. While he is not much of a ball hawk, Jones does have good ball skills to stick with receivers and make plays on the ball, knocking it loose and forcing incompletions. He is a very skilled athlete who has great movement skills, flips his hips with ease to stick on receivers’ hips downfield, and is rarely fooled by good routes. Jones has primarily played in the slot, where he seems most comfortable, but that may not translate due to his thin frame and struggles with tackling technique. I think Jones may need to be converted back to the outside on the weak side of the field, unless he can bulk up some. Feels like there will need to be a lot of moving variables here for Jones to be successful in the NFL. I think there is potential there, but it feels more like a priority free agent to me with a lot of upside.
10. Tyreek Chappell
Texas A&M • Senior • 5’11 • 180
Chappell is one of the most experienced corners in this year’s draft, and his instincts in the slot have earned him a consistent role as a starting corner for the Aggies defense. Texas A&M may very well send 3-4 corners to the draft this year, with both Dezz Ricks and Will Lee III playing great football on the outside. Chappell starts in the slot, where he reads the offense well and works his way to the ball. Scouts have some concerns about Chappell’s lack of athletic upside, as he is not the biggest or fastest guy, and at times, he can struggle in coverage and in tackling in space. He is a very strong zone corner, but concerns about how well he will hold up in man coverage will be prevalent throughout the draft process.
