Top 10 cornerbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft

• ACL surgery January 2025
• Perhaps a bit too physical for NFL rules, will need to adjust to avoid penalties

NFL Comp: Aqib Talib

Bengals Projection: There’s virtually no chance McCoy falls to the Bengals now that they’ve traded away their first-round pick for Dexter Lawrence.

2. Mansoor Delane – LSU – 6’ 187 – 22 years old

Mansoor Delane transferred to LSU for the 2025 season after playing at Virginia Tech for 3 seasons. In one year at LSU, he did not give up a single touchdown in coverage.

Over the last two seasons, he got his hands on 18 passes and hauled in 6 interceptions.

Pros:

• Blankets receiver in man coverage on underneath routes
• Excellent eye discipline in man coverage
• Makes good reads in zone coverage
• Physical at the catch point
• Swagger drips off him
• Playmaker with 8 career interceptions

Cons:

• Lowers his head when he tries to make a tackle
• Poor angles to run fit/runs around blocks
• Gets stacked on vertical routes

NFL Comp: Nnamdi Asomugha

Bengals Projection: Same boat as McCoy.

3. Colton Hood – Tennessee – 6’ 193 – 21 years old

After a three-year college tour that included stops at Auburn, Colorado, and finally Tennessee, Colton Hood enters the draft as one of the top cornerbacks. Could his next stop be Cincinnati?

Pros:

• Silky smooth transitions
• Understands routes and cutoff angles
• Locks in on receiver in man coverage and plays the ball through his hands
• Physical when taking in blocks and making tackles, but throws body around rather than using any technique

Cons:

• When he uses his hands, he creates separation for the received
• Although he has the makeup speed to cover it up, often loses ar release in man
• Technique with hands is inconsistent, can get a little grabby

NFL Comp: Derek Stingley Jr.

Bengals Projection: It would be surprising if Hood made it to 41. Though it is unlikely that he will end up in Cincinnati, he would be a good backup in year one who could replace Hill in year two after refining his technique.

4. Avieon Terrell – Clemson – 5’11” 186 – 21 years old

Avieon Terrell didn’t have any interceptions last season, but he forced a whopping 5 fumbles. He forced 3 the previous season, for a total of 8 forced fumbles in his career. He also had 3 sacks and 3.5 TFLs a year ago.

Pros:

• Extremely sound technically, well coached
• Smooth hips
• Excellent eye discipline in man coverage
• Makes good reads in zone coverage
• Inside/out versatility, plays run and blitzes effectively from slot

Cons:

• Throws body into the ball-carrier rather than wrapping up
• Shows tenacity at the catch point, but can get boxed out
• He’s a scrapper, but his lack of size shows up in his run defense at times

NFL Comp: Cooper DeJean

Bengals Projection: Terrell is a player I would be talking about non-stop if the Bengals had made the playoffs and were picking in the 20s, like they should be. As it is, Terrell is unlikely to slide into Round 2. If they did somehow end up with him, he’d likely usurp Jalen Davis as the starting slot.

5. D’Angelo Ponds – Indiana – 5’ 9” 182 – 21 years old

Originally a James Madison recruit, D’Angelo Ponds caught 2 interceptions and made 13 deflections in his Freshman season. After following Curt Cignetti to Indiana, Ponds added 3 more picks and 9 passes defended in 2024 and another 2 interceptions and 11 passes defended during their National Championship run in 2025.

Pros:

• Excellent hand usage in man coverage
• Hustler who is never out of a play
• Makes great reads in zone coverage
• Consistent production throughout his career
• Inside/outside versatility

Cons:

• His height complicates matchups
• How much can a body his size take the way he plays?
• Willing but inconsistent tackler

NFL Comp: Antoine Winfield Sr.

Bengals Projection: Ponds would come in and take the starting slot corner position. He is a playmaker who is made from the right stuff. He would be an excellent pick at 41 if he makes it there.

6. Keionte Scott – Miami – 5’ 11” 193 – 24 years old

After three years at Auburn, Keionte Scott headed to Miami, where he really made his mark. In 2025, Scott had 64 tackles, 13 TFLs, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and two pick-sixes.

Pros:

• Brings a unique asset as a pass rusher on blitzes
• Excellent run defender, gets off blocks and makes the tackle
• Highly productive
• Excellent reads and breaks in zone coverage
• Agility to run with smaller slots and toughness to hang with larger ones

Cons:

• Tackling is wild and inconsistent
• Lack versatility to play on the outside
• Puts his head in a lot of dangerous positions

NFL Comp: Mike Hilton

Bengals Projection: Scott is the ideal slot cornerback who is extraordinary against the run and good against the pass. He would come in and take over the starting role in the nickel. Scott has the talent to go in Round 2, but it is tricky to gauge how the NFL will value his particular skill set. He might just be a possibility in Round 3.

7. Hezekiah Masses – Cal – 6’ 1” 179 – 22 years old (estimate)

After 3 seasons at Florida International Hezekiah Masses transferred to Cal where he went off. In 2025, Masses had five interceptions and 13 deflections.

Pros:

• Great zone reads combined with guts have led to crazy ball production
• Thinks he’s going to score every time he gets the ball in his hands
• Reads hips and hands in press coverage

Cons:

• Puts head down to tackle
• Weight is not conducive with NFL success

NFL Comp: Trevon Diggs

Bengals Projection: Masses is likely to go at some point on Day 2. Cincinnati could be a good landing place for him because he wouldn’t have to play immediately. This would give him a chance to develop his body and tackling before moving into a starting role.

8. Chris Johnson – San Diego State – 6’ 193 – 21 years old

Chris Johnson spent 4 seasons in the Mountain West Conference and had 4 interceptions in his final season.

Pros:

• Excellent zone reads – makes plays in adjacent zones as well as his own
• Makeup speed
• Quick feet
• Powerful tackler

Cons:

• Has shown ability to mirror routes, but needs to be more consistent
• Contested catch situations have been a problem
• Has not been matched up against highly touted receivers

NFL Comp: Tyrique Stevenson

Bengals Projection: Johnson has the tools but also has a lot of room to grow. Adjusting to life in the NFL will be a steep climb, particularly if he’s seeing Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in practice. He is likely to go late in the first and would be a good value for the Bengals at 41.

9. Torino Pride Jr – Missouri – 5’ 10” 185 – 22 years old

After spending the first half of his college career at Clemson, Torino Pride Jr spent two seasons at Missouri, snagging 4 interceptions along the way.

Pros:

• Crazy ball skills
• Excellent breaks in zone coverage
• Mirrors well in press man

Cons:

• Tackling technique is all over the place
• On the short side
• Bites too much on jabs when in press man

NFL Comp: Trent McDuffie

Bengals Projection: Pride has some excellent ball skills, but his size is limiting. He is a bit of a risky proposition because if he can’t tighten up his technique enough to succeed on the outside, I don’t think he’ll transition well to the slot. Pride has shown enough potential to be worth an early Day 3 flyer.

10. Will Lee III – Texas A&M – 6’ 2” 189 – 23 years old

After starting his career at Iowa Western Junior College, Will Lee III headed south on I29 for a year at Kansas State, before continuing on to College Station for two years with Texas A&M.

Pros:

• Chopping feet and good eyes help him stay with receivers on quick cuts
• Fantastic cutoff and pursuit angles
• Excellent burst
• Gets his hand on the ball

Cons:

• Gives up too much horizontal space
• Poor run support
• Take good angles but misses tackles

NFL Comp: Cam Smith

Bengals Projection: Lee is an intriguing prospect who has some gifts but needs a lot of work. I see him as a developmental player who will fill the role of outside-CB3 and a great prospect on Day 3.