Cornerbacks the Commanders Should Consider in the 2026 Draft

In the first wave of free agency, the Commanders did a great job of filling roster holes and raising the talent floor. But they couldn’t fix everything. Heading into the draft, the team still has major weaknesses to shore up at wide receiver, center and cornerback among other position groups.

With no obvious starter to line up across from Trey Amos on opening day, it should come as no surprise if Adam Peters uses the seventh overall pick on a cornerback. But if he decides to go another direction at 7, or trades back to acquire more picks, there are multiple potential first-year starters who should be available later in the first and second rounds. They lead a deep CB draft class, providing options to build depth at the position right through the end of Day 3.

For this round-up I used advanced statistics from Pro Football Focus to identify cornerbacks with outstanding productivity at the college level who are good fits to the defensive scheme that Daronte Jones is expected to run, following his prior experience working for Brian Flores in Minnesota.

As the Vikings’ Passing Game Coordinator, Jones coordinated the back end of an ultra-aggressive, blitz-heavy defensive scheme. A key departure from traditional defenses is that high pressure looks were often supported by zone coverage, instead of man. Daronte’s “position agnostic” secondary made use of five, interchangeable defensive backs, running heavy doses of Cover 2 and Cover 0 (no safety help) to support different pressure packages. But the DBs were also required to play man coverage in certain looks when linebackers are brought forward to force fast decisions.

If that’s the scheme we are getting, the Commanders will need cornerbacks who are comfortable living in zone coverage, but with the versatility to match up man to man when required and to play multiple positions in the backfield. And they will most likely need more starting-level players in the secondary than they currently have on the roster.

Advanced Performance Metrics

High performing CB prospects were identified for further consideration and ranked using three primary advanced metrics. To help weed out small school prospects with amazing stats who probably won’t be drafted, I limited the pool to the 59 consensus-ranked CBs among the 676 players in the Mock Draft Database Consensus Big Board.

Rate of Yardage Allowed – Yards/Coverage Snap

The pass defense stats that get the most air time are Interceptions (INT) and pass breakups (PD/PBU). These are high impact plays that deserve attention, but only happen less than once per game on average. They don’t tell us much about coverage performance on a down to down basis.

Since receivers are ranked based on yardage production, it makes sense to rank the players who cover them based on yardage containment. The most granular receiving productivity metric is Yards/Route Run (Y/RR). Yards/Coverage Snap is simply the flipside of Y/RR for coverage defenders. It is less direct than Y/RR, but it still provides a good indication of how well a coverage defender did at preventing receiving productivity on a down-to-down basis over the course of a season. Adjusting for routes run makes it directly comparable between players despite differences in playing time.

The following table summarizes key benchmarks for consensus-ranked prospects in the 2026 CB draft class:

Interception Rate – Percentage of Targets Intercepted

Interceptions can be game changing plays. But they are rare events, which complicates comparisons across players. To see who the best ballhawks really were, rather than who got the most playing time, we need to correct for number of opportunities. Interception Rate is simply the percentage of targets that a CB picked off. It allows us to separate a player who allowed a small number of targets and picked them off at a high rate – who we want to draft – from a player who allowed a lot of targets and intercepted them at a lower rate – who we might want to avoid.

In 2025, 21 of 59 consensus-ranked CBs did not record interceptions.

Being good in run support is a good addition to a CB’s skillset. But it is more of a “nice to have” than an essential criterion. It would be unwise to pass on a future All-Pro lockdown corner because he makes a few too many “business decisions”. Nevertheless, run support might be more highly valued in Daronte’s position agnostic backfield than more traditional coverage schemes.

CBs who excel in run support were identified using PFF’s Run Stop Rate, which is the percentage of rushing downs on which a defender made a tackle which constituted a failure for the offense. A stop is recorded when the defender holds the runner to less than 40% of the yards to gain on first down, 50% on second down, or prevents a conversion on third or fourth down.

Players are listed in order of their consensus ranks, not necessarily preference. Notable figures (best in conference, best in class) are indicated in bold font.

Mansoor Delane, Senior, LSU

6-0 | 187 lbs | 4.38s 40 | Age 22

2025 Stats: 11 games | 45 Comb Tkl | 10 Stops | 2 INT | 11 PD | 165 Yd Allowed | 0 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.46 (358 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: Combine, Top 30 Visit

After three years at Virginia Tech, Silver Spring native Mansoor Delane transferred to LSU in 2025, where he emerged as the premiere lockdown corner in college football despite battling a core injury all season.

As a senior, Delane was LSU’s primary boundary CB. Receivers in his coverage were targeted just 3.2 times per game, and caught 14 passes (40%) for 165 yds and no TDs (31.3 opposing Passer Rating). Delane allowed 0 receptions against Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Southeast Louisiana. He allowed fewer than 30 yds in every other game aside from a 41 yd outing against Ole Miss.

It is somewhat surprising that he made 2 interceptions, given how little his receivers were targeted. His 5.7% Interception Rate placed him at the 81st percentile of consensus-ranked CBs.

Delane is at his best in press/man coverage, but has the quick processing, awareness and closing speed to excel in zone as well.

He projects as an early starter at outside CB who can take away an opponent’s number one receiver in match coverage, or take away half of the field in zone. He contests the catch point aggressively, and is a good wrap-up tackler. But he is not much of a force against the run, with a Run Stop Rate just below the 25th percentile of consensus-ranked CBs.

One lingering concern is that he gave up 570 yds in coverage with the Hokies in 2024. However, that season is an outlier in his career. He was under 0.75 Y/Cov Snap every other year.

Avieon Terrell, Junior, Clemson

2025 Stats: 12 games | 48 Comb Tkl | 5 FF | 17 Stops | 0 INT | 9 PD | 340 Yds Allowed | 3 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.87 (392 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: None reported

Terrell is the brother of NFL CB A.J. Terrell, and has a similar play style in coverage. In 2025, he was the first CB below median in Rate of Yardage Allowed. But it was the worst of his three college seasons. He was well above average in coverage as a sophomore and freshman.

Despite having a slim build, he is aggressive at the catch point, and stripping the ball after the catch. He led the ACC in forced fumbles in 2025. He is also effective in run support and on corner blitzes. He ranked within the top 25% of consensus-ranked CBs in Run Stop Rate, and led the CB draft class in sacks.

Terrell is unlikely to be in consideration by the Commanders, unless they find themselves picking later in the first round via a trade. In that event, he might appeal to Daronte Jones as a versatile weapon with value beyond just playing in coverage.

ATLANTA, GA AUGUST 30: Tennessee defensive back Colton Hood (8) returns a fumble for a touchdown during the AFLAC Kickoff Game on August 30th, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Colton Hood, Tennessee, Junior

6-0 | 193 lbs | 31 3/8” arms | 4.44s 40 | RAS 9.64 | Age 21

Y/Cov Snap: 0.70 (451 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl

Hood is a physical press-man corner, with good discipline and explosive speed to break on the ball in zone coverage. He is aggressive at the catch point and plays with the physicality of a safety against the run. The advanced stats place him right on the 75th percentile of the CB class in both phases.

The INT rate placed him at the median of the CB class. But he made his INTs count with a pick-6 in 2025, and 2 INT returns for 105 yds in 2024.

Hood would be a good option for the Commanders in a trade back scenario.

Chris Johnson, Senior, San Diego State

6-0 | 193 lbs | 30 5/8” arms | 4.40s 40 | RAS 9.82 | Age 21

2025 Stats: 11 games | 49 Comb Tkl | 1 FF | 14 Stops | 4 INT | 2 INT TD, 146 yds | 9 PD | 185 Yds Allowed | 0 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.53 (349 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl

If the Commanders miss out on Mansoor Delane and find themselves picking in the second round, Johnson is better than a consolation prize.

Johnson is a scheme-versatile CB with the ability to play outside or inside, making him a perfect fit for a position-agnostic coverage scheme. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein comps him to Byron Murphy, who played for Daronte Jones in Minnesota.

What makes Johnson stand out is the rare combination of shut-down coverage and ball production. The numbers place him at the 90th percentile in Rate of Yardage Allowed and top 3 in Interception Rate among consensus-ranked CBs. He was also well above average at stopping the run.

For a physical corner, he is exceptionally disciplined, with only 2 penalties in 349 coverage snaps last season. He was also in the top 25% of the CB class at stopping the run.

While there might be some niggling doubts about the level of competition he faced in the MWC, the only real issue I can find with Johnson is that he is likely to fall between the Commanders’ first- and third-round picks.

Keith Abney II, Junior, Arizona State

5-10 | 187 lbs | 30” arms | Age 21

2025 Stats: 12 games | 44 Comb Tkl | 2 FF | 11 Stops | 2 INT | 12 PD | 321 Yds Allowed | 0 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.70 (458 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: None reported

Abney played outside for the Sun Devils, but probably suits a move inside at the next level. He is a high IQ player who plays physically with impressive coverage instincts and recognition, but has size and top end speed limitations.

His ideal fit is in a zone match coverage system, like Daronte Jones ran with the Vikings, where his competitive demeanor and ballskills will let him make plays on the ball in underneath coverage.

It is still too early to give up on Mike Sainristil, despite his shocking season in outside coverage last year. But the Commanders could benefit from better depth and competition at the nickel corner position. That could put Abney in play at the Commanders’ third-round pick.

Treydan Stukes, Red-Shirt Senior, Arizona

6-1 | 190 lbs | 31 3/4” arms | 4.33s 40 | RAS 9.95 | Age 24

Y/Cov Snap: 0.79 (285 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: None reported

Stukes came to Arizona as a walk on and worked his way up to team captain and leader of the defense in 6 seasons with the Wildcats.

Stukes played predominantly in the slot in college, with a fair amount of time in the box. He profiles as a big nickel and split safety for the Commanders. He is a film room junkie with advanced play recognition, ball tracking and catch timing leading to the second highest Interception Rate in the CB class (highest among players likely to be drafted) and a high rate of pass breakups.

He is also strong in run support, with an above average Run Stop Rate.

Stukes is the type of player who could earn a Commanders tag. If the Commanders can look past his advanced age – he is as old as FA acquisition Nick Cross – he could be a chess piece in Daronte Jones’ defense, with the ability to handle bigger receivers in coverage, make plays against the run, and possibly even blitz occasionally.

Davison Igbinosun, Senior, Ohio State

6-2 | 189 lbs | 32 7/8” arms | 4.45s 40 | RAS 7.46 | Age 21

2025 Stats: 14 games | 53 Comb Tkl | 9 Stops | 2 INT | 8 PD | 207 Yds Allowed | 0 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.57 (363 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl

Igbinosun is a younger prospect with the build and physical demeanor in press coverage which will appeal to the front office and head coach. He was in the top 25% of the CB draft class in Rate of Yardage Allowed and Interception Rate and was in the top 10% in Run Stop Rate.

Igbinosun has some limitations in movement skills and route recognition, which will make him best suited to zone-heavy schemes, like we are expecting to see in Washington. He has upside to develop with better technique. If he lands in the right situation, his best football is probably still ahead of him.

Malik Muhammad, Junior, Texas

6-0 | 182 lbs | 32 3/8” arms | 4.42s 40 | RAS 9.57 | Age 21

2025 Stats: 11 games | 30 Comb Tkl | 13 Stops | 2 INT | 4 PD | 207 Yds Allowed | 0 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.46 (344 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: Team Pro Day, Zoom Meeting

Muhammad had the fourth lowest Rate of Yardage Allowed in the CB class and was at the 83rd percentile in Interception Rate. He is a slender player who wins with vision, recognition, timing and fluid movement skills. He can get outmuscled by bigger receivers and is not much of a force against the run. But there is a lot to be said for a CB who can blanket receivers in coverage and generate interceptions.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 25: Tacario Davis #8 of the Washington Huskies intercepts a pass intended for Hank Beatty #80 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half at Husky Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Getty Images

Tacario Davis, Senior, Washington

6-4 | 194 lbs | 33 3/8” arms | 4.41s 40 | RAS 8.71 | Age 21

2025 Stats: 7 games | 19 Comb Tkl | 5 Stops | 2 INT | 3 PD | 146 Yds Allowed | 1 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.61 (238 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: None reported

Davis is a big corner who played predominantly on the outside for Washington. His senior season was cut short by rib and hamstring injuries, but he was fully recovered by the Combine.

Davis was efficient in coverage and making plays on the ball in limited opportunities. He plays with great range and uses his length and quality ball skills to create challenges for receivers. His route matching skills need work and he would probably benefit from a switch to zone coverage or to free safety.

He is difficult to throw over and picked off targets at the 7th highest rate in the CB class.

His Run Stop Rate was at median for the CB class, but he had the fifth lowest Missed Tackle Rate in the class (5.0%). He has the tools to develop run defense as a strength with coaching.

Davis is a high-upside prospect who could be great value to develop as a back end defender in Daronte Jones’ secondary, if he falls to the Commanders’ fifth-round pick.

Hezekiah Masses, Senior, California

6-1 | 179 lbs | 31 1/8” arms | 4.46s 40 | RAS 3.30

2025 Stats: 13 games | 47 Comb Tkl | 14 Stops | 5 INT | 13 PD | 413 Yds Allowed | 4 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.87 (477 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: Senior Bowl

Don’t be fooled by the skinny frame. Masses was a top 25% run stopper in the CB class.

He is also disruptive in press coverage and is one of the premiere ballhawks in the CB class, with exceptional timing to arrive at the catch point and make plays on the ball. His Interception Rate was the 6th highest in the CB class. He does tend to get grabby, leading to penalties.

Masses has technique issues to clean up, but has pass defense skills and upside to develop into a starter. He is on the Commanders’ radar and could be great value if he’s available to them on Day 3. He is rising quickly up the consensus board.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 29: Jadon Canady #22 of the Oregon Ducks intercepts a pass against Denzel Boston #12 of the Washington Huskies during the first half at Husky Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Getty Images

Jadon Canady, 5th Yr Senior, Oregon

5-10 1/2 | 181 lbs | 30” arms | 4.49s 40 | RAS 6.36 | Age 22

2025 Stats: 15 games | 39 Comb Tkl | 12 Stops | 1 FF | 2 INT | 6 PD | 104 Yds Allowed | 1 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.30 (344 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: None reported

Canady had the second lowest Rate of Yardage Allowed among consensus-ranked CB prospects. He is a sticky slot corner, with elite anticipation and movement skills to erase receivers in underneath coverage and good burst to break on balls at the catch point. Despite his size, he achieved an above average Run Stop Rate.

Canady is a potential sleeper whose projection aligns with the Commanders’ current 5th- and 6th-round picks, although he has been rising up draft boards. At the very least, he would provide needed depth at slot CB. But he has the coverage skills to potentially stick outside.

Devon Marshall, Senior, NC State

5-11 | 197 lbs | 30” arms

2025 Stats: 13 games | 50 Comb Tkl | 13 Stops | 1 FF | 2 INT | 16 PD | 308 Yds Allowed | 2 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.70 (439 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine

Marshall played outside corner for the Wolfpack for two years after transferring from Villanova. He has improved every season in college and emerged as a quality coverage corner in his senior season. Marshall plays physical, and fast with easy change of direction to stay in phase and harass receivers at the catch point. He led the FBS in pass breakups in 2025, and placed around the 75th percentile in Rate of Yardage Allowed and the 64th percentile in INT Rate.

Adam Peters’ draft evaluations place emphasis on matchups against top rated opponents. Marshall’s big game against Florida State’s Duce Robinson might have put him on the Commanders’ radar.

Marshall was a Combine snub, and his athletic testing numbers are unkown. He stood out in Shrine Bowl practices, where he gained attention from NFL scouts, including the Commanders’. He has room for improvement, with some technique refinements, and good upside to develop. He also gets good reports for character and work ethic from coaches, which should appeal to Adam Peters.

He would be a good late round depth addition right away. His coverage skills give him a pathway to earn playing time early, with potential to become a regular contributor in the future. He is a rapid riser in the draft process.

Domani Jackson, Senior, Alabama

6-1 | 194 lbs | 31 1/8” arms | 4.41s 40 | Age 22

2025 Stats: 15 games | 39 Comb Tkl | 14 Stops | 0 INT | 1 PD | 135 Yds Allowed | 1 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.45 (300 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: None reported

There is a big mismatch between Domani’s advanced stats and his consensus rank, which could make him a potential steal. He has the prototypical build and physical tools that teams covet for the position, but has a reputation for not having played to his potential.

There seem to be two strikes against him. First are reports about inconsistent effort, which could be serious. The second is a shortage of big play production, which might be a case of focusing on the wrong metrics.

While Jackson only produced 2 interceptions in his college career, in his final two seasons, he was very efficient in coverage. In 2025, he held receivers to the third lowest rate of yardage gained in the CB class. He has also always been a quality run defender. He might not ever be a ballhawk, but he can be very effective at containing offensive production.

Jackson’s skillset suits zone-heavy coverage schemes. If the Commanders coaching staff can motivate him to play to his potential, he could be a steal in the 6th or 7th round.

Toriano Pride Jr, Senior, Missouri

5-10 | 31” arms | 185 lbs | 4.32s 40 | RAS 8.33 | Age 22

Y/Cov Snap: 0.55 (353 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: None reported

Pride started at outside CB for four years with Clemson and Missouri. He had an outstanding season in coverage for the Tigers against SEC competition, yet managed to fly completely under the radar. The reason why is probably that he lacks ideal size for the position. The standard take will be that he’ll need to move inside at the next level. But I wouldn’t be so sure.

Pride finished just outside the 90th percentile in Rate of Yardage Allowed in coverage. He allowed fewer than 20 receiving yards against Auburn, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and shut out three other opponents. He has had consistent ball production in college with pick-sixes in 2025 and 2024. His Interception Rate placed in the top 25% of the 2026 CB class. He is willing in run support, but can struggle to bring down bigger ball carriers.

Pride’s coverage and ball skills give him a chance to stick on the outside at the pro level. At the very least, he could provide needed depth to back up the boundary and slot positions, and should be an early contributor on special teams coverage units. He has risen more than 100 places up the consensus board in the week since I started work on this roundup.

Andre Fuller, 5th Yr Senior, Toledo

6-1 | 30.6” arms | 200 lbs | 4.49s 40 | RAS 8.97

2025 Stats: 13 games | 49 Comb Tkl | 19 Stops | 1 INT | 11 PD | 259 Yds Allowed | 1 TD

Y/Cov Snap: 0.67 (386 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: East-West Shrine

Fuller is another bigger CB, who suits Cover 2 and deep zone coverages and could make the switch to safety. His Rate of Yardage Allowed in Coverage placed him in the top 25% of the 2026 CB class, while his Run Stop Rate placed him in the top 10%. He had little to no ball production until his senior season, when he stepped it up.

Fuller is on the Commanders’ radar and might be a value selection as secondary depth near the end of the draft. His experience in special teams’ coverage provides an early avenue to earn playing time.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 28: Ahmari Harvey #18 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forces a turnover as he tackles Devontez Walker #9 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Getty Images

Ahmari Harvey, Senior, Georgia Tech

5-11 | 30 3/8” arms | 185 lbs

Y/Cov Snap: 0.66 (255 snaps)

Commanders’ Meetings: East-West Shrine

Harvey is a versatile corner whose best fit will be in inside zone coverage. Tight hips might limit his play in man coverage. But he has good vision and read-and-react skills to be effective in zone. In 2025 his coverage was within the 75th percentile in Rate of Yardage Allowed.

Despite being on the smaller side, he is an aggressive run defender. His 3.4% Run Stop Rate was the third highest among ranked CB prospects.

Ahmari could be a good depth addition late in the draft or afterward, with the ability to rotate in in underneath coverage and stay on the field on running downs.

Some CBs frequently mocked to Washington but were not included for various reasons:

Jermod McCoy (Tennessee) – Missed 2025 season with a torn ACL, 2024 Y/Cov Snap figures would rank below average in this year’s CB class

Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) – great athletic profile, and tremendous run defender, but has poor coverage instincts and gave up a high rate of yardage in 2025

Daylen Everette (GA) & Will Lee (Texas A&M) – gave up high rates of yardage throughout their college careers

Ephesians Prysock (Washington) – love the name, but better options are available in his projected range

Keionte Scott (Miami) – great player, Top 30 Visit, but played safety, not CB

Cornerbacks the Commanders Should Consider in the 2026 Draft

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