Who Are the Top Cornerback Prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft?
The cornerback position is one of the toughest to draft for NFL teams. If a team banks on upside, they could be bitten by raw coverage skills, but it could also pay off. Take former UTSA Roadrunner and current Seattle Seahawk, Tariq Woolen, for example. He was drafted as a raw, unproven talent with exceptional athletic upside and an unreal six-foot-four frame. This swing paid off, as he remains atop the depth chart at his position heading into 2025. While the Woolens of the world do exist, there are a plethora of corners that just do not pan out. Here are the top guys at the cornerback position eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, headlined by an athletic freak in Knoxville.
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Jermod McCoy is the most fluid, technical athlete, not only at the corner position, but in the country. His 89.0+ coverage grade given by PFF is the second-highest among all returning Power Four corners, and he was given a 99.9 grade on PFF’s game athleticism score, the highest in the country. McCoy allowed just a 53.6 passer rating when he was targeted last year. He also picked off four passes. McCoy is currently dealing with an injury, so his availability for Week One is not certain, but when he is on the field in Knoxville, this defense automatically becomes one of the best in the country.
Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Avieon Terrell is not just “A.J. Terrell’s younger brother” anymore. Instead, he is vying to be a top-10 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. The current Clemson Tiger shines in the run game. He recorded a 90.0+ run-defense grade in 2024, per PFF, which was fourth among any corner in the country. Due to his smaller frame, he may be best suited as a slot corner in the NFL, but that is not a bad thing because of how well he sheds blocks and tackles.
D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
Owning a reliable slot cornerback can do wonders for a defense. It is seen with guys like Kenny Moore II with Indianapolis or Devon Witherspoon in Seattle; having an option to cover the shifty players, but also tackle, is ultra-valuable. At five-foot-nine, D’Angelo Ponds is undersized, but he plays with so much heart. He is just one of the great James Madison transfers who now call Indiana their home, due to Curt Cignetti’s move from the former Sun Belt powerhouse to Hoosier-ville. Ponds has passion and some intriguing movement skills that look super fast because of how low to the ground he is. Indiana has a stellar front-seven, and with Ponds oftentimes being sent on a slot blitz or flat-zone QB-spy, they could remain a threat in the Big Ten.
Josh Moten, Southern Miss
The former Marshall Thundering Herd captain, and now Southern Mississippi Golden Eagle, Josh Moten, has elite awareness and ball skills. He is rangy, meaning he covers a lot of ground in coverage, but also very instinctive. This combination allows him to play deep zone even if the rest of the defense is in press, ultimately leading to more interceptions and pass-breakups. He had five picks last year while not even being on the field all the time. He will be the featured defensive back for Southern Miss. and will mark the opposing team’s number one option. It will remain to be seen if he will travel with wideouts, but with his skill, it is a possibility. Moten reminds me a lot of a top-10 corner in the NFL, Charvarius Ward.
Malik Muhammad, Texas
The Longhorns lost superstar corner Jahdae Barron to the 2025 NFL Draft, but they have a more than serviceable insurance man in Malik Muhhamad. Muhammad started every game last season opposite Barron, and even marked opponents’ best wideout when Barron slid into the slot. The Texas native also defended eight passes last year. The only knock on Muhammad is a big one: he did not show up in the playoffs last year. Two of his three lowest-graded games per PFF last season were against top-tier schools in Georgia and Ohio State.
