The 2026 draft class has been riddled with inconsistency at nearly every position group, and predicting who will be the top players in April has proven to be a tall task for scouts. Quarterbacks have shuffled, Offensive linemen have struggled to find consistency, and the receiver class is still completely up for grabs. But one position group has stood out to me above the rest… Cornerbacks.
Over the last several years, DBs have become less valuable across the NFL, not because of a lack of importance, but because of the depth of talent across the league. NFL teams – specifically those who run large volumes of man coverage – have also found that having one superstar corner is not as valuable as having a well-rounded group of solid DBs so that one can’t get picked on. Teams are always looking for corner talent, and from top to bottom, this year’s draft is going to produce some very good NFL players.
As of today, I have seven corners I would be comfortable spending first-round draft capital on. Those names include: Jermod McCoy, Davison Igbinosun, Mansoor Delane, DJ McKinney, Avieon Terrell, Christian Gray, and Domani Jackson. This is an absurd number of guys compared to the three I had just last year.
The talent at corner goes beyond the first round as well. I have top 100 grades on several other guys, including Colton Hood, Keith Abney II, Malik Muhammad, Daniel Harris, Daylen Everette, Will Lee II, Khalil Barnes, and AJ Harris. All these names are guys that I think (in the proper scheme) can make an impact on an NFL defense day one.
As I mentioned earlier, cornerback is a position you cannot cover up, and if teams know your defense has a weak point in the secondary, they will attack it. This is exemplified for teams like the Panthers, Eagles, and Falcons, all of which have an elite corner (Horn, Mitchell, and Terrell) but have middling secondaries due to a lack of depth. Whereas teams like the Chargers and Colts have held strong because of consistency from all their corners.
This year’s draft will provide teams with a unique opportunity to add cornerback talent with players I think can be impactful on an NFL defense from top to bottom. This draft also features corners that play in a variety of schemes, and there will almost always be a corner available that fits into your team’s defense.
In a draft class where consistency has been hard to come by from other position groups, watch for the cornerbacks to jump up boards in this year’s draft. I expect to see guys like Davison Igbinosun, Christian Gray, and Domani Jackson rise on consensus draft boards as the year goes on, and each of them could hear their names called on day one of the draft. There may be some changes as guys decide if they want to declare for the draft or return to school, but regardless, be ready to hear some corners’ names called earlier than you expect this offseason.
