The Las Vegas Raiders are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft by scouting cornerback prospects. Key players returning include Eric Stokes and Darien Porter, with a focus on adding depth to the position.
Key points
Las Vegas Raiders scouting for 2026 NFL Draft
Key returning players include Eric Stokes and Darien Porter
General manager John Spytek expects Porter to improve
Raiders need to add depth at cornerback
Thaddeus Dixon from UNC is a potential late round target
Mentioned in this story
NFLUNC
Las Vegas Raiders
As we approach the 2026 NFL Draft, I have broken down each position group with targets for the Las Vegas Raiders, and much more.
I recently broke down the potential 1st to 4th round options, along with the options for them in the nickel. Las Vegas returns Eric Stokes & Darien Porter, both of which flashes last season, and Porter received high praise from general manager John Spytek this off-season, who expects the 2025 3rd rounder to take a massive leap. In addition, Eric Stokes is coming off a breakout season, and he should continue his form in 2026 and beyond. The key for the Raiders will be adding depth, as they lack much beyond their starters and Decamerion Richardson, so finding key cheap depth with upside is key.
Dixon worked his way to UNC after being a standout JUCO CB, then Washington, and finally landing at UNC. He has a good build, and shows fluid natural instincts the position. Dixon works best in zone coverage, he has a quick first step, and he’ll sit, read and react well. He shows an ability to break off concepts, drive on the ball, and he has natural ball skills. Dixon pairs this with a good feel for the position, and a natural understanding of passing lanes, passing concepts, and how to read a quarterback which allows him to react to the ball and create a play. His ball tracking is elite, Dixon plays physical, and he’s not afraid to get his hand/body into the point of attack. He’s shown a knack to work at the nickel, and the boundary, with his best film coming on the boundary or a free safety role. Dixon doesn’t have elite long speed, he’s very much an initial acceleration winner, and he will struggle to turn and run at times where he trips himself up trying to get the extra step. He’s an ankle biter defensively, and he’ll need to be more aggressive, utilize his hands more, and also add some mass to help him drive defenders down. Dixon projects as a project corner, and in zone, heavy cover three systems he can translate as a versatile third or fourth option who can have a good couple plays on the ball.
Q&A
Who are the key cornerbacks for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026?
Key cornerbacks for the Raiders in 2026 include Eric Stokes and Darien Porter, both of whom showed promise last season.
What is the significance of the 2026 NFL Draft for the Raiders' cornerback position?
The 2026 NFL Draft is crucial for the Raiders as they aim to add depth to their cornerback position, which currently lacks strong backups.
What did general manager John Spytek say about Darien Porter?
General manager John Spytek praised Darien Porter, expecting him to make a significant leap in performance following his 2025 3rd round selection.
What are the Raiders' draft targets for cornerbacks in the later rounds?
In the later rounds, the Raiders are considering cornerback Thaddeus Dixon from UNC, projected to be a late 5th round pick.
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Austin started his career at JMU then a transfer to USF, and finally his last season at Cal where he blossomed with 13 PBU, 2 FF, and a 71.8 QBR allowed. Austin shows natural instincts at the position which pairs well with his first step, an ability to come downhill, break on concepts, and close gaps is elite. Austin shows great initial twitch and burst, he works well to anticipate throws, come across a field, and also undercut routes. Austin shows good long speed, he has elite makeup speed, and he plays with pretty fluid hips and ankles allowing him to stay patient, turn and run, and also break out of concepts. Austin is a good sound tackler, he’s small but uses his full body, plays physical, and doesn’t get pushed around by receivers due to an aggressive nature. Austin stays physical in the route, is aggressive at the catch point, and he will consistently adjust to the ball to try and make a play in the air. Austin works in man and zone, but he’s best in zone, where his aggression and ball skills do get him caught at times working on double moves, false hitches, and he can be slow to react to out routes trying to bait the ball which causes a completion. He struggles vs bigger receivers, despite playing out of his frame, and he’ll get boxed out or out physical early into the rep. Austin can be a phenomenal corner in zone, and projects as a great day three addition, his natural burst, instincts, and ball skills will pair well to NFL success.
Marshall could see his NFL role come in the slot, but he’s worked mainly on the boundary and he’s been good in the role. He had a standout 8 PBU and an INT in one game this season vs top ranked Virginia, and a large part of his game comes with instincts, despite a lack of athleticism. Marshall won’t function in man coverage, he has a slow initial burst, lacks true long speed, and he struggles to close gaps at the rate most NFL DB’s can. This paired with over aggression causes some big plays, as he lacks recovery speed, and he tries to make a play to overcome this. Despite that, Marshall wins off his elite instincts, understanding of passing lanes/concepts, and an elite ability to read the QB. Marshall is physical despite his size, and he’ll make a play on receivers, while also having a knack to utilize the sideline to his advantage and push defenders out. He shows good weight balance, fluid hips, and he works his upper/lower body in unison. Marshall has an innate ability to adjust to the ball in the air, and he’ll work both the WR and the ball to make a play. He’s a read and react defender, who works well in zone or the slot, where Marshall has an ability to jam, work through contact, and he can also sell an undercut well to try and bait the QB into a throw. Marshall has natural instincts, and he’s overcome his athletic flaws with his elite technique, aggression, and understanding of the game. He’s likely a NCB in the NFL, and getting him near the LOS will cause success.
Round 6:
Available NCB: Toriano Pride (Missouri)
Domani Jackson, Alabama (Consensus: Late 5th to Early 6th)
A former five start corner, Jackson has been at both USC and Alabama, Jackson has exceptional length and size, he’s likely best working in man coverage but shows some traits to work in zone as well. Jackson has clean, fluid hips, but his footwork is lacking and he struggles to change directions at a consistent rate. Jackson has good physicality, he’ll get his hands in to make a play on the ball, and he also shows an ability to diagnose, react, and come downhill to make a play on the ball. Jackson can jam receivers, and he’ll turn and run well but the initial explosiveness is very inconsistent. He’s shown good long speed, an ability to undercut routes, and he has recovery speed when beaten downfield. I’d like to see Jackson do better on run concepts, where he’ll play passive, has poor tackling angles, and his form isn’t the best. Jackson needs to do better avoiding fakes, and QB’s have shown an ability to manipulate his eyes at times, causing him to get out of place and break on in/out breakers late. He allowed a high contested catch rate, struggled to prevent getting boxed out, and Jackson’s very average instincts show as well. He can be successful in the NFL, but he has a runway to success as well, with Jackson mainly winning on pure athleticism, learning the position, how to better control his athleticism, and how to collapse passing lanes will be crucial.
Collin Wright, Stanford (Consensus: Late 6th to Early 7th)
Wright’s statistical approach looks bad, but a large part comes in 2023 where he allowed 41 receptions, 598 yards, 7 TD, and a 128.3 QBR and he’s improved each season allowing just 630 yards, 9 TD (7 in 2024), and a 87.4 QBR across the last two seasons while adding 4 INT, and 11 PBU. Wright has been pretty consistent through his career, and his true ceiling is very limited, though Wright can provide depth to a team as a high floor player. He has good instincts, and makes an impact on special teams, but Wright is extremely athletically limited. Wright tackles well, has good form, and he’ll play physical but I’d like to see him add more mass to his frame. Wright shows good hip flexibility, he work his whole lower body in unison, but he struggles to come out of breaks with explosion, and lacks long speed which can cause him to get beaten over the top or in hole shots. Wright bites on double moves, a lot, and his lack of makeup speed causes him to get beaten pretty bad. Additionally, he’ll need to get better at boxing out defenders, working his frame, and being physical throughout the route where he stays hands off unless beaten, and then he’s flagged. Wright can be a solid depth cornerback, but his ceiling is limited, reminds me a lot of Kyu Blu Kelly, and he should capitalize on his opportunities with good ball skills.
Iowa has turned out NFL DB’s recently, and Hall should follow suit. He has elite, and I mean elite, instincts, where Hall will consistently take away multiple concepts, works to pass off defenders, and he does well gliding between concepts to take multiple routes off board. His first step is very average, but it’s well used and he’ll come down to crash a concept, with good length he’s also able to get the ball out in contested situations. Hall wasn’t targeted often in his career, but he capitalized when he did. He has a physical profile, he’ll play big, and he does well to find the ball in the air creating opportunities. Hall is an exceptional run defender, he has elite form, great angles, and he’ll use his full body into the route. Hall won’t do much as a down field cornerback, his long speed is lacking, but he has a decent second gear before falling off after 20-30 yards. Hall shows a lot of physical mentalities in his game, but he’s lacking the true athleticism at times to be a consistent playmaker. His benefits come with pairing instincts, physicality, and ball skills and there’s a route that Hall will develop into a starter, but likely sits as a 4th or 5th corner on a roster.
Round 7:
Available NCB: DeVonta Smith (Notre Dame) -> 43 Vert, 11 Broad, elite shuttle times, 9.21 RAS
Latrell McCutchin, Houston (Consensus: Mid 7th to UDFA)
McCutchin is an exceptional athlete, and he has an elite frame with great length. He shows an ability to utilize his length and instincts to crash on the ball, but he’s still lacking heavily in terms of his overall ability to work out of zone coverage. McCutchin does well to find the ball in the air, but he’s slow to react which has also caused some issues in terms of jumping the route or adjusting the ball in the air where he lacks an ability to adjust to the ball. He shows good initial quickness, has good recovery speed, and McCutchin is also exceptional physical through the concept. He’s an elite special teams contributor, and McCutchin has a fairly high floor for a cornerback prospect down the board. He’s best in man, where his zone instincts lack, and he also needs to do better on biting against double moves or play action. He’s a very sound tackler, but can be over aggressive or take poor angles and be out of position too frequently. McCutchin profiles as a good late round CB prospect who has exceptional length, size, speed, and athletic traits. While he’s lacking initial instincts, and he’ll need to do better working out of zone, McCutchin has the upside to be a key contributor.
Moten has back to back seasons with 5 INT, and he’s a pure ballhawk DB. Moten lacks athleticism, but he wins with his instincts, and he shows a good initial burst to crash downhill. He’s undersized, lacks length, and still finds ways to be productive. Moten has really fluid hips, quick feet, and he does well to work and mirror defenders while also having a good ability to stick on the hips of a WR in coverage. He lacks downfield speed, his recovery speed is average, and Moten will do best when working closer to the LOS or in a true cover three system. He’s a great tackler, despite the high missed tackle rate, and Moten has good technique, form, initial burst downhill, and he plays violent. Moten does have a track of penalties, he’ll bite on double moves, and he’s a little weak at he point of attack in contested catch situations. Moten’s lack of size & athleticism will push him down the board, but he shows good ball skills, instincts, and lower body agility to adjust to the NFL level quickly as a depth corner.
Lukus saw ups and downs at Clemson, he played heavily in 2024 & the start of 2025 before losing his spot and ending up a rotational CB. Lukus has elite size, great length, and overall is a very good athlete. Lukus wins with his initial burst, second step, and has good long/recovery speed. He’s shown an ability to crash on concepts, will drive on the ball well, and he has a fluid lower half that allows him to change direction quickly. Lukus gets his hands in at the catch point, plays physical in the route, and he does well working downfield to knock the ball out. I’d like to see him get better at preventing penalties when he’s too physical, and he can trip himself up at times as well. Lukus takes poor angles, he has a tendency to whiff the overall tackle by trying for the big hit, and his extreme lack of run defense caused him to lose snaps in 2024 and 2025. He does really well working in coverage downhill, and could be an elite coverage defender in the NFL given his length, size, athleticism, and instincts but Lukus will have to prevent the over aggression, and get better as a run defender to make a true NFL impact.
Fuller saw a breakout in 2025, and it was not a surprise, the 6’1/200 CB had an INT and 8 PBU while being a pivotal part of a Toledo secondary that produced likely 4 DBs this off-season. Fuller is physical, and highly athletic, he’ll jam at the line of scrimmage, turn his hips and run. He stays physical in the route, consistently stabbing and jamming receivers, and will push them around while also being exceptionally well touted at the catch point getting his hands in and knocking the ball out. Fuller is patient, relies on his instincts, and has good fluid hip flexibility, quick feet, and a strong initial trigger to come downhill and fire on the ball. He does have a minor injury concern missing all of 2023 with a knee injury, and he can also get tripped up in coverage with average hip flexibility. He’ll need to do better adjusting the ball in the air, and he’ll also need to work better at not reacting to play action where he bites downhill. Fuller won’t standout as a run defender, but he’s a very average and solidified defender with good tackling. It’s a limited ceiling for his future, but he projects as a very good potential boundary CB who can work his instincts and play the ball well.
Other Names to Know:
Jarod Washington, South Carolina State -> 2 INT, 24 PBU in one season at SC State after spending career at Benedict (D2). ELITE ball skills, electric movement in space, shows a ton of upside, tackles well, fluid hips and feet, like his tackling. Concerns on size (needs muscle), experience, but could develop into a solidified CB at the NFL level as a UDFA or day three pick. Keep an eye on him.
Fred Davis, Northwestern -> Good frame, has been in college since 2020 bouncing between Clemson, UCF, Jacksonville State, and Northwestern. Stiff hips, very average.
Al’zillion Hamilton, Fresno State -> Potential NCB, has 8 INT, 34 PBU in five seasons with Fresno State. 5’10/180, lacks initial acceleration, good trigger, good instincts, has a lack of long speed as well. Could develop into a late round, UDFA potential NCB at the NFL level. Tackles at an adequate level, doesn’t pop off the screen at all.
Cam Miller, Rutgers -> Experienced, Poor athlete
UDFA:
Available NCB: Michael Coates Jr (West Virginia), Jaylon Guilbeau (Texas), Tyreek Chappell (Texas A&M)
Chestnut provides a ton of versatility for a team, logging 574 snaps at SS, 479 at FS, 164 in the slot, and 1325 on the boundary. Chesnut has natural feel in zone coverage, his hips are fluid, and he’s overall a fairly well refined boundary CB/S that can show downfield ability to turn and run. Chesnut has good ball skills, tracks the ball well in the air, and he shows a good ability to come across field and make a play on the ball. Chesnut has good instincts, reacts to the ball well, and he keeps his legs back to drive on the ball downhill. He’s struggled to tackle consistently, has a very poor sense of balance, and his tackling angles are consistently off. He’ll ankle bite often, causing a high rates of misses. Chesnut is extremely limited athletically, he doesn’t have a ton of initial pop, and his long speed is a struggle as well. He is boxed out in the point of attack, struggles to find a way to knock the ball out in contested catch situations, and he also doesn’t have a true position which limits him.
Jones has good length but he’s limited athletically at times, which can cause issues. Jones has good recovery speed, despite limited long speed, and his initial downhill trigger is good which allows him to find the ball and break on the concept. He shows good instincts, a natural feel for zone coverage, and he’s able to consistently find the ball in space as well. Jones has good hip flexibility, but his legs can get caught up, and Jones needs to do better being too aggressive where he’ll bite easily on play action, and he’s slow to react on in breaking concepts downfield which with limited athleticism is a concern. I’d like to see Jones do better utilizing his physicality throughout the rep, where he’ll jam, and then play hands off, but he shows a willingness. Additionally, he’ll need to get better as a tackler where he can’t get off blocks as well, aand his angles/pursuit is a little average and inconsistent, and the form is inconsistent as well.
Other Names to Know:
Kani Walker, Arkansas -> 3 INT, 22 PBU through 42 games
A’Marion McCoy, Boise State -> 8 INT (3 TD), and 23 PBU in three seasons with Boise State
Noah Avinger, Utah State -> Limited athletically, but does show a good bit of initial instincts and reaction skills to help. SAF/CB, 7INT, 20 PBU in his career. Struggles to tackle.
Marcus Allen, UNC -> 3 INT, 24 PBU in 51 games
Kolbey Taylor, Vanderbilt -> Physical, big CB at 6’2, 215. Has 10 PBU, and an INT in 43 games, struggles with ball skills, poor hips.
Toriano Pride Jr, Missouri
Rodney Shelley, Georgia Tech
Shadwel Nkuba II, Illinois State -> Transferred down to Illinois State from Louisiana in 2025, 81 tackles, 3 TFL, 6 INT, 15 PBU in one season. Lacks experience, has fluid hips, iffy initial quickness and long speed. Good size, intriguing UDFA to watch.
Mo Bamba, BYU -> Massive, big physical CB (6’3/215). Poor tackler, stiff hips, lacks ball skills (0 INT, 8 PBU in 36 games).
Jaedyn Lukus, Clemson
Ahmari Harvey, Georgia Tech
Ceyair Wright, Nebraska -> Highly experience, older prospect, stiff hips, doesn’t have a ton of juice, but good ball skills, tackles well, physical DB.
Preston Hodge, Colorado -> Career 5 INT, 31 PBU (3 TD), 150 tackles. Solid run defender, limited athletically, has elite ball skills. Lacks the overall athleticism to be a solid NFL CB, can be depth, shows good ST ability. Former LB turned CB