Editor’s note: This is the seventh installment of Dane Brugler’s 2026 NFL Draft Summer Scouting series. Previous rankings: Edge rushers | Running backs | Defensive tackles | Tight ends | Linebackers | Interior offensive linemen

At first glance, there isn’t a Patrick Surtain II or Sauce Gardner in this cornerback group — a no-doubt top-10 prospect. But there are a number of draft-eligible corners who project as starters at the next level, especially if double-digit underclassmen at the position declare.

(Note: Asterisk represents draft-eligible underclassmen. Heights and weights are what NFL teams have on file for each player, with a “v” representing verified measurements and “e” for estimated measurements.)

1. Avieon Terrell, Clemson (5-11e, 180e)*Best trait: Competitive mindset

Cornerbacks that lack size better make up for it with attitude, which Terrell absolutely does. He is wired in a way that allows him to thrive on an island in coverage and be a magnet to the football in the run game. Receivers know they are in for a dogfight when lined up across from Terrell.

South Carolina superfreak Nyck Harbor is 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, but it didn’t appear to be a mismatch when Terrell faced off against him last season.

Terrell is always looking for work in the run game, too. He finished last season with three forced fumbles, including the strip tackle below on the South Carolina tape. Most corners would be content to stand their ground and hold outside contain, but Terrell shifts into top gear, avoids the block and chases down the ball with a chop on the opposite hash.

Must improve: Early contact in coverage

Though his compete skills separate Terrell from other corners, he needs to do a better job using finesse at the catch point to avoid going through receivers to contest. Terrell was penalized for pass interference seven times in 2024, including three flags on the Texas tape.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

A.J. Terrell put together a strong resume at Clemson before becoming a first-round draft pick of the Falcons in 2020 — and later signing a contract that made him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history. That is a big shadow for his younger brother to escape, but Avieon Terrell is building his own legacy at Clemson and has the tape of a future first-rounder.

Cornerbacks standing under 5-11 and weighing less than 190 pounds are rarely drafted in the top 25, but teams are willing to overlook mediocre size for competitors who make up for their lack of inches with athleticism and ball skills (see Denzel Ward). Although he needs to find better balance with his aggressive play style, Terrell’s makeup and talent will be easy sells in an NFL war room.

2. Jermod McCoy, Tennessee (6-0e, 195e)*Best trait: Well-rounded skill set

There is a lot to like about McCoy’s game. He is a solid size-speed athlete with physicality, instincts and ball skills. In press man, he gets his hands on receivers early to reroute them and shows terrific feel and timing from off coverage. McCoy’s short-area explosiveness looks better than his long speed, but I love his reactionary twitch to stay attached in coverage. He is also one of the best tackling defensive backs in college football.

I thought the 2024 Alabama tape was an accurate summation of McCoy’s All-America sophomore season — eight tackles, two passes defended, a few completions allowed that need to be cleaned up and this one-handed interception:

Anticipating the end-zone fade, McCoy presses the receiver, gets his eyes to the quarterback and owns the catch point.

Must improve: Returning healthy

McCoy needs to show more consistent patience in press and avoid some of the downfield contact. But the No. 1 concern surrounding him is his health. After starting all 13 games last season, McCoy suffered an ACL tear this past January while training at home. He underwent knee surgery and is reportedly rehabbing well, but when will he return to the field? And how does that affect his draft decision? A lot of unknowns.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

A native of Whitehouse in East Texas (the same hometown as Patrick Mahomes), McCoy was a state champion track athlete in the long jump and triple jump, although he went mostly overlooked as a football recruit (no FBS schools in Texas offered him). McCoy signed with Oregon State and led the team in passes defended as a true freshman. He transferred to Knoxville before last season and put together an All-America 2024 season, leading the team in passes defended (13) and interceptions (four), plus finished third in tackles (44).

Were he fully healthy, McCoy would have been CB1 in these preseason rankings, but the unknowns knock him down a spot (for now). With a complete recovery, he can be one of the better defensive prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

3. DJ McKinney, Colorado (6-2e, 190e)*Best trait: Playing through hands of receivers

Whether in man or zone, McKinney passes the eye test with his height, athleticism and wingspan — tools that he uses to reroute receivers or find passing lanes. His reaction quickness helps him stay within arm’s length of receivers, and he exhibits a strong feel for reading the catch point to knock the ball away.

McKinney was solid during the first half of the 2024 season, but his comfort level really increased late in the season. Over the final five games, he allowed just 38.2 percent completions when targeted and recorded six passes defended and three interceptions.

Must improve: Technical refinement

On tape, McKinney appears to have pedestrian speed by NFL standards (I would love to be wrong, but my early guess for his 40-yard dash would be in the 4.47-4.52-second range). Without high-end recovery speed, McKinney needs to button up some of the fundamental areas of his game to better stay in phase with receivers. He showed more trust in his technique later in the season (square stance, look and lean, etc.), which is a promising sign.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

Though all eyes were on Travis Hunter when watching the Colorado defense last season, McKinney was on the other side of the field impressing NFL scouts with his athleticism and cover skills. He redshirted at Oklahoma State in 2022 and came off the bench in 2023 before transferring to Colorado before the 2024 season. McKinney finished second on the team (behind Hunter) in passes defended and interceptions last year, including a pick six against his former team (Colorado’s only pick six in 2024).

Given his gradual improvements over last season, I’m eager to see what McKinney puts on tape in his second year in Boulder. Although his straight-line speed might not be elite, he has the size and cover skills to be an early-round draft pick and potential NFL starter.

4. Will Lee III, Texas A&M (6-0 7/8v, 191v)Best trait: Body length

Lee checks a lot of boxes. He mirrors well at the line of scrimmage, flashes above-average speed for the position, and his instincts in coverage are a positive. But his size and body length tie everything together. Lee has the arm length to disrupt routes at the line of scrimmage along with the fluidity to open, turn and carry vertical patterns.

His length really impresses at the catch point and helps him turn catches into incompletions.

Must improve: Giving up inside position

A common theme on last year’s tape was Lee’s tendency to surrender inside positioning to route runners, opening up passing windows in the middle of the field. He was often left grabbing to try to slow down receivers and recover his position. Lee has the feet to match receivers early in man coverage — as long as he doesn’t get stuck guessing.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

After two years at Iowa Western Community College and another at Kansas State, Lee transferred to College Station last season as a redshirt junior. Not only did the St. Louis native become an immediate starter for the Aggies, he also took home second-team All-SEC honors after posting a team-high 12 passes defended.

With his length, fluidity and coverage awareness, Lee enters the season as my top-ranked senior cornerback prospect with a Day 2 draft grade.

5. Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State (6-1 7/8v, 191v)Best trait: Competitiveness in coverage

A long, lanky outside cornerback, Igbinosun has outstanding size (33-inch arms), athleticism and feel for the position, which allows him to stay in phase in zone or man-to-man coverage. Although his footwork needs improved consistency, he stays patient at the line before using his agility to eliminate space in coverage and find the football.

Igbinosun needs to cut back on early contact, but he was one of the best in college football last season at forcing incompletions, especially in press man.

Must improve: Coverage penalties

Considering he was the most penalized defensive player in college football last season, describing Igbinosun as “handsy” might be an understatement. He finished with 13 coverage penalties (11 pass interference and two defensive holding) and probably got away with a dozen more.

His aggressive mindset is part of what makes him a productive corner, but Igbinosun has too many undisciplined plays that lead to early contact and easy decisions for officials — something that must be cleaned up in 2025.

2026 NFL Draft outlook

After earning Freshman All-America honors at Ole Miss in 2022, Igbinosun entered the portal and landed at Ohio State, where he has been locked in as a starter the last two seasons. His tenure with the Buckeyes has been a roller coaster because of his physical nature and constant grabbing, which has made him a penalty magnet. But Igbinosun is an impressive athlete for his size and plays with the compete skills NFL teams covet.

Considered a potential Day 2 draft pick had he entered the 2025 draft, Igbinosun can secure top-100 status with improved discipline during his senior season.

Preseason top 25 seniors (all measurements are NFL-verified)

1. Lee
2. Igbinosun
3. Mansoor Delane, LSU (5-11 1/8, 191)
4. Daylen Everette, Georgia (6-0 5/8, 193)
5. Domani Jackson, Alabama (6-0 3/8, 191)
6. Xavier Scott, Illinois (5-11, 198)
7. Treydan Stukes, Arizona (6-0 1/2, 195)
8. Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State (5-11, 184)
9. Stephen Hall, Missouri (5-11 3/8, 203)
10. Chris Johnson, San Diego State (6-0, 182)
11. DaShawn Jones, Alabama (5-10 3/4, 182)
12. Jaylon Guilbeau, Texas (5-11, 184)
13. Amari Jackson, Boston College (5-10 1/4, 188)
14. Tacario Davis, Washington (6-3, 197)
15. Chandler Rivers, Duke (5-8 5/8, 184)
16. Marcus Allen, North Carolina (6-0 5/8, 176)
17. Devin Moore, Florida (6-3 1/8, 196)
18. Jeadyn Lukus, Clemson (6-2, 195)
19. Thaddeus Dixon, North Carolina (6-0 1/4, 195)
20. Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin (6-0 3/4, 185)
21. Toriano Pride Jr., Missouri (5-10 1/8, 186)
22. Avery Smith, Toledo (5-10 1/8, 187)
23. Ceyair Wright, Nebraska (5-11 3/4, 182)
24. Josh Moten, Southern Miss (5-11 7/8, 178)
25. Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin (5-8 1/2, 188)

Preseason top 15 draft-eligible underclassmen (all measurements are estimates)

1. Terrell
2. McCoy
3. McKinney
4. Christian Gray, Notre Dame (6-0, 185)
5. A.J. Harris, Penn State (6-1, 185)
6. Keith Abney II, Arizona State (5-11, 195)
7. Malik Muhammad, Texas (6-0, 185)
8. D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana (5-9, 170)
9. Jermaine Mathews Jr., Ohio State (5-11, 190)
10. Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina (6-1, 210)
11. Collin Wright, Stanford (6-0, 190)
12. Kayin Lee, Auburn (5-11, 180)
13. Ashton Stamps, LSU (6-0, 190)
14. Daniel Harris, Georgia (6-3, 195)
15. Amare Ferrell, Indiana (6-2, 200)

(Photo of Avieon Terrell: Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Images)