- Avieon Terrell is making his own name: The Clemson star has NFL bloodlines but projects as a first-round pick due to his own mertis.
- Jason Kilgore is a slot option to monitor: Kilgore is a superb downhill athlete and a versatile defender.
- Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool.
Estimated Reading Time: 31 minutes
The 2025 college football season has just begun, but it's never too early to break down prospects for next spring's draft class.
PFF Lead NFL Draft Analyst Trevor Sikkema offers his breakdowns for 31 cornerback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, including Malik Muhammad, A.J. Harris and D'Angelo Ponds.
Zone Boundary Cornerbacks
Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Strengths
- Fluid movements with good body control
- Adequate long speed to cover vertical routes and recover
- Great ball production in 2024 with two INTs and 20.0% FINC%
- Elite PFF run-defense grade (90.7) and low missed tackle rate (12%) against the run in 2024
- Already shows a high IQ with very good instincts
Weaknesses
- Very small with low weight for an NFL outside cornerback
- Arm length could be an issue playing in the pros
Scouting Summary
Terrell already has a brother who plays in the NFL, and you can tell he's been able to watch him play at a high level to follow in his footsteps. Even as just a true sophomore in 2024, he showed a high football IQ and some great cornerback instincts. That manifested in good ball production with interceptions and forced incompletions. He also recorded very good PFF run-defense and pass-rush grades over the last two years despite a small frame.
His weight profile is below the 10th percentile for the pros, and his arm length could be a limiting factor for press. But as an off-zone coverage defender, he is smart, sound, calculated and impactful in all areas of playing the position.
Malik Muhammad, Texas
Strengths
- Feisty player who will be physical
- Appears to have long arms for the position
- Adequate recovery speed for the NFL
- No INTs in 2024, but a very high FINC% (18.5%)
Weaknesses
- Played at a noticeably small weight in 2024
- High missed tackle percentage vs. the run in 2024 (27%)
- Feet need to be more active in press to stay in phase
- Anticipation must take a step forward in 2025
- Has the length and quickness to play press, but must be more confident there
Scouting Summary
Muhammed is a feisty outside cornerback with long arms and a track background to present a high ceiling. He didn't record an interception as a starter in 2024, but his forced incompletion percentage was high. His PFF run-defense grade was low, but he does show the mentality to be a better run defender if he can put on more weight. He has the frame and ability to play press, but he lacks the anticipation to be reliable there consistently. Right now, he's best used in off-zone coverage with few athletic question marks in his game.
Jermaine Mathews Jr., Ohio State
Strengths
- Height and weight are slightly below average, but plenty adequate for the pros
- Twitchy movement skills, especially flipping his hips and first step explosiveness
- Unanswered questions of ball skills; zero INTs and FINC on 231 coverage snaps in 2024
Weaknesses
- Light weight profile shows up in run defense; doesn't want to throw his body at ball carriers
- Has a bad habit of becoming flat-footed in off coverage when reading receivers out of their releases
Scouting Summary
Mathews Jr. is a talented cover corner who did his best work in his underclassman years from off-zone coverage alignments. His measurables are slightly below average, but he doesn't play like he lacks the length. He has twitchy movement skills which allow him to flip his hips and explode quickly, as well as give him high potential as a run defender to slip blocks and a pass rusher to do the same. He must get stronger, specifically in run defense, and needs to continue to improve his anticipation with a full-time starting role in 2025.
Will Lee III, Texas A&M
Strengths
- Adequate size in height and length to play CB at the pro level
- Appears to be a sound tackler
- Controlled footwork out of press (no happy feet)
- Most confident when he can play in off-zone coverage and watch the QB's eyes
- Appears to be quite the trash talker
Weaknesses
- Size naturally makes him slower to stop and start
- Feet/hips are a bit slow out of press to flip and run
- Can be grab-y in man coverage (doesn't appear to be a major problem)
- Seems to struggle closing the separation gap when trailing (recovery speed)
Scouting Summary
Lee began his college career at the JUCO level, but has since started for two FBS programs in Kansas State and Texas A&M. He has ideal height and length at 6-foot-3, though he is lean at that height at just around 190 pounds. He likes to get his hands on receivers, either out of press or in off-zone at the break point.
His feet are controlled, but look a bit slow — as do his hips — when flipping to run out of press. He also has some other speed concerns when recovering without grabbing. Because of this, he is most effective in off-coverage alignments, where he can manage cushion and watch the quarterback's eyes to ball hawk.
Jerry Wilson, Florida State
Strengths
- Good top speed covering vertical routes
- Good ball production (six INTs and over 15.0% FINC% from 2023-2024)
- Big leap in efficiency in missed tackle percentage from 2023 to 2024
Weaknesses
- Measureables are lacking in all areas compared to other pro CBs
- Arm length is well-below-average
- Good top speed, but stride length impacts how quickly he can recover
Scouting Summary
Wilson is a confident, off-zone coverage cornerback who doesn't quite have the look of an NFL cornerback (low-percentile height, length, weight), but he's one who doesn't let that get in the way of him making plays. He's recorded consistent ball production in each of the last two seasons, and greatly improved his missed tackle percentage in 2024. He boasts good top speed, but his shorter stride length does affect how long it takes for him to reach it. He will also yield the strength advantage at the catch point in most situations. His build likely means you won't want him in press very often.
Keith Abney, Arizona State
Strengths
- Appears to have above-average arm length for the position
- Willing run defender
- Good PFF run-defense grades/low missed tackle percentage
- Comfortable in bail/shuffle zone-coverage technique
- You can see his willingness to communicate pre- and post-snap on tape
Weaknesses
- Appears to have average long speed
- Stop-and-start agility takes one or two more steps than desired
Scouting Summary
Abney is a competitive and communicative outside cornerback who has experience in both man and zone assignments. His best and most confident work seems to come from zone work (press or off), where he can be in bail technique and watch the quarterback's eyes with a good feel for where his receiver(s) are. He is also a willing run defender with good tackling grades and stats.
He can play man coverage, but his long and recovery speed appear to be average at best; if he doesn't get physical with vertical receivers, he can get beaten there. His mentality will be his most alluring trait.
Josh Moten, Southern Miss
Strengths
- Does a good job keeping his shoulders square to where the ball is while moving in coverage
- Appears to have long arms
- Shows impactful instincts in zone coverage, keeping his eyes on the ball/QB
- Very competitive player
Weaknesses
- Weight is in the 0th percentile for the NFL
- Average top speed
- Run defense must be more consistent
Scouting Summary
Moten is a long and competitive cornerback whose coverage abilities will have plenty of teams intrigued. He's a zone coverage ball hawk who has recorded a forced incompletion rate above 16.0% in each of the last two seasons, with five interceptions in 2024. He must be more consistent in his run fits, especially knowing he'll take his lumps in run defense on some reps due to lower weight.
Raion Strader, Auburn
Strengths
- Arms appear even longer than good height suggests
- Double-digit forced incompletions in 2023 and 2024
- Improved missed tackle percentage against the run in 2024; willing run defender
- Plays both left and right outside corner as boundary (weakside) CB
- Good instincts for spacing in off-zone coverage
Weaknesses
- Explosiveness and top speed appear to be below average for the pros
- Hips are a bit slower to flip and can yield initial separation versus vertical routes
- Doesn't pack a big punch when tackling, even with momentum
Scouting Summary
Strader is a savvy, off-zone coverage outside cornerback. He has good height and even better length at 6-foot. His weight profile is lower, which does show up in tackling strength, but he has become a more reliable run defender. He wields good instincts with spacing and anticipation as an off-zone coverage defender in quarters, Cover 3 and Tampa 2. This, plus his length, has allowed him to record 29 forced incompletions in just two years as an underclassman.
His explosiveness, twitch and top speed appear to be average at best for the NFL, which doesn't allow him to play much press man in the pros. But even if that is the case, you can't teach how he mentally wins at the position.
Christian Gray, Notre Dame
Strengths
- Springy athlete
- Long legs lead to long strides for vertical speed
- Long wingspan to disrupt the catch point
Weaknesses
- Slender build that likely needs more weight for the NFL
- Very difficult for him to get off blocks at his current weight/strength level
- Long legs have vertical speed advantages, but sometimes make triggering downhill a tick slower
- Takes the route candy out of his zone too often
- Lacks the physicality needed for press man coverage
Scouting Summary
Gray is a slender but long athlete who plays the outside cornerback spot in Notre Dame's defense. His long strides can cover a ton of ground when he needs to turn and run vertically or match crossing routes from his zone, though his high-waisted build makes it tougher to stop and start. He also has a long wingspan to impact catch points.
His game in its current form (entering 2025) lacks strength. He must put on weight to better play press man coverage, as well as defend the run and get off blocks. He also falls for route deception too often when in off-zone coverage. He is an intriguing athlete, but one that needs more strength and refinement.
Jyaire Hill, Michigan
Strengths
- Plus length for the cornerback position
- Versatile experience on the left and right side of formations
- Hips are a tad slow to flip, but can make up for it with good first step, long stride, top speed
Weaknesses
- Slender; doesn't overpower receivers in press or at the catch point
- High-waisted build makes it tougher for him to get low and be fluid out of backpedals
- Could be the target of screens and outside runs if he doesn't get stronger
- Top speed is due to long strides more than twitchiness
- Go beaten a few times on double moves in 2024
- Anticipation and feel for where the ball is going must improve
Scouting Summary
Hill is a long and lean cornerback whose game has potential, but needs more time to grow. He has ideal length with a good frame to hold more necessary weight for the NFL level — right now, he doesn't have enough strength at the catch point in either press or run defense. He plays with a high-waisted build, which makes it tougher for him to turn and run out of his backpedal.
Because of this, his best work comes from an off-coverage zone assignment, where he can keep things in front of him. Anticipation is lacking all around, and improvement there could make for a nice pro prospect.
Antonio Kite, Ole Miss
Strengths
- Impressive multi-sport background from his high school days (football and basketball)
- Has experience at wide receiver and cornerback
- Fast acceleration and decent top speed
- Fluid, fast hips to flip and run
Weaknesses
- Arms appear shorter than listed height would suggest
- Dismissed from Auburn after just a handful of game due to violation of team rules
- Reportedly could not initially enroll at Ole Miss due to academic reasons
- Can get pushed around at his smaller weight
Scouting Summary
Kite has the movement skills of a cornerback who should get a shot in the NFL, but his lack of size and length will make that an uphill climb. To this point, he does not have the starts or the reps to be anything more than a late Day 3 flier. He has to earn a full-time role in 2025 to improve that consideration.
Man Boundary Cornerbacks
A.J. Harris, Penn State
Strengths
- Good foot quickness for change of direction and mirroring in press
- Very impressive ability to flip the hips and accelerate, especially at his height
- Adequate long speed to cover vertically
- Has some impressive tackles in run defense
- Versatile to play man or zone
Weaknesses
- His worst games came in the cold weather (20 degrees) vs. SMU
- Arm length might be shorter than height indicates
- Needs more ball production in 2025
Scouting Summary
Harris is a five-star cornerback who is already living up to that high-recruit billing. He has adequate size at 6-foot-1 and just over 190 pounds, though his arm length might be a bit shorter than his height suggests. His movement skills for his height are very impressive. His feet are fast in his backpedals and allow him to mirror releases in press, even without getting hands on receivers.
His ability to flip his hips and accelerate is also refined. His missed tackle percentage is okay, but he displays some really good solo reps vs. the run. He's a scheme-versatile player with a ton of confidence — outside of the one game that was freezing cold versus SMU in 2024.
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Strengths
- Fantastic first-step explosiveness, even when changing direction
- Good body type and early experience for press coverage
- Comfortable hand-fighting at any point in the route
- High ball production as a true sophomore (four INTs, 19.1% FINC%)
- Very low missed tackle percentage (7% in 2024)
Weaknesses
- Must get back to pre-injury form athletically
- Leads with the shoulder a bit recklessly for bigger hits
- Must stay more patient with inside, 2-step or diamond releases
Scouting Summary
McCoy has the body type and athleticism to play press man coverage at the NFL level in an impactful way. His ball production as a sophomore was very impressive in terms of interceptions and forced incompletions. He is comfortable hand-fighting receivers at any point of their route and pairs that with good long speed and excellent first-step explosiveness.
At the same time, he is coming off a torn ACL and must get back to pre-injury form. He could also use more patience versus inside releases. But, it's all there for him to be a CB1 in the pros.
Thaddeus Dixon, North Carolina
Strengths
- Ideal frame and length for the outside cornerback spot
- Looks and plays bigger than his listed 185-pound weight class
- Seems to always want to be in on where the ball is
- Played shadow coverage on some of his opponents' best receivers
- Has some excellent reps triggering downhill to cut off/disrupt comebacks/curls
Weaknesses
- Must continue to study WR releases; more patience will make him a productive press defender
- Struggled/got grabby with smaller, quicker receivers
Scouting Summary
Dixon has the build and the game to be a potential starting NFL cornerback. He started his career at the JUCO level before transferring to Washington in 2023 and is now at UNC with Bill Belichick. With the Huskies in 2024, he played shadow coverage against his opponent's best receiver, both in the slot or on the outside. He has the length and strength to line up in press, and also great downhill trigger speed when playing off.
He is a competitive player who wants to be in on every play. He must continue to study receivers' releases as well as route tricks to be more patient — that goes for getting grabby on smaller, quicker receivers, too. If that can improve, he could be a starter in the pros.
Daylen Everette, Georgia
Strengths
- Body type was built in a lab for an NFL cornerback
- Very quick footwork off press to mirror receivers' breaks
- Arm length appears to be well-above-average
- Has the frame to be physical throughout the route
- Has the body control to be a sticky cover corner
- Acceleration is very good; useful on blitzes from the outside
Weaknesses
- Top speed is adequate (not great)
- Still lacking in anticipation to achieve his high ceiling of man coverage ability
- Too many missed tackles in 2024
- Lets receivers attack his blind spot too easily in Cover 3/quarters
- Needs to play with more fire/competitiveness when he's not in press man
Scouting Summary
Everette is a long and lean outside-press-man-coverage cornerback. He is technically sound and in control out of his backpedal, which allows him to flip and run squarely with no shade or leverage with receivers releasing inside or out. His long speed appears to be adequate, but not great. He does have quick stop-and-start footwork to limit separation and close on comeback and curl routes, and possesses the long arms to disrupt the catch point consistently.
He must play with more of a fire when not in press and for run support and tackling in general. He also needs to play the sideline better in bail when playing Cover 3. But, he does have starter qualities to him.
Chandler Rivers, Duke
Strengths
- Plays both left and right CB
- Very little panic in his game; even when beaten, he trails and recovers nicely
- Low overall career missed tackle percentage; vs. the run was high, but improved in 2024
- Just always seems in control; anticipates well in all facets
Weaknesses
- Small measurables for an NFL corner
- Very small arms, even for a smaller cornerback
- Change of direction and twitch could be average for the pros
Scouting Summary
Rivers is an easy watch. His style is so in control; he deploys very little wasted movement and good anticipation for where the ball is going and how receivers are about to run their routes. He understands leverages and how to use that to his advantage. His missed tackle percentage versus the run was high as an underclassman, but improved in 2024. Overall, he's a savvy and smart corner who can play left, right and slot, but might give up a few plays each week due to well-below-average length and somewhat limited twitch.
Tacario Davis, Washington
Strengths
- Has an interest in run defense despite slender build
- Elite size/length to match bigger receivers in press
- Adequate top speed
- Not a lot of panic to his pre-throw coverage, even when backpedalling
Weaknesses
- High-waisted build requires more steps to change direction
- Lacking a bit in strength with slender build (but not glaring)
- Has an interest in tackling (competitiveness) but needs to be more disciplined in his run fits
- Can be a bit erratic with hand placement and hip slips when in press
Scouting Summary
Davis is a former wide receiver and defensive back in his high school days, now focused on the defensive side of the ball at around 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. His long arms are a big strength when it comes to disrupting receivers' releases and routes, as well as at the catch point. His high-waisted build makes it tougher for him to flip the hips and change direction, and his top speed might just be adequate at best. But, you can't teach his length, and he seems to have the competitiveness to be up to the challenge that is covering NFL receivers.
Cameron Calhoun, Alabama
Strengths
- Arms appear to be long, and he knows how to use them to his advantage
- Seems comfortable in press and off coverages
- Aggressive and physical when engaging blocking WRs in quick game
- Punches in press are quick and strong
Weaknesses
- Needs to continue to improve locating the ball in the air, especially when his back is to the ball
- Has to make an emphasis on getting his head around in trailing man coverage
- Must anticipate better when he needs to come downhill
Scouting Summary
Calhoun has good height and length to play press man coverage in the NFL. He is comfortable in press and off, and when close to the line of scrimmage, has a quick and strong punch to disrupt receivers getting into their routes. He needs refinement in the deep coverage aspect of playing man coverage, mainly getting his head around and locating the ball in trail. He also must anticipate better and be on his toes for when to trigger downhill against quick routes.
Mansoor Delane, LSU
Strengths
- Likes to use his long arms to get hands on receivers early
- Has the athletic ability, build and mentality of a press corner
- Overall speed for the position is adequate
- Fiesty run defender (though he does struggle to get off blocks/finish)
- Smooth with flipping his hips to stay sticky vs. vertical routes
- Seems confident as a post-snap communication/matching-coverage player
Weaknesses
- Slender build makes tackling more of a challenge, especially when runners have speed
- Lacks the rare final gear to really close in on passes in trail
- Strength deficiencies get magnified in off coverage
Scouting Summary
Delane is a long and fast cornerback who brings an adequate balance of top speed and agility to play press man coverage at the NFL level. He is comfortable getting his hands on receivers in true press, and generally has the speed to keep up with them vertically. His hips are oily and can flip very quickly to stay in phase out of press. He is on the slender side, and that shows up when tackling and making contact at the catch point. If he can get a little stronger while maintaining his fluid movement skills, he can be a contributing outside cornerback in a man- or man-match-heavy system.
DJ McKinney, Colorado
Strengths
- Good size and length for the position
- Decently quick footwork for a player of his height
- Familiar with the press alignment and techniques for sound press work
- Decent top speed, especially with his longer strides
Weaknesses
- Struggles to not yield separation if he doesn't get hands on you at the LOS
- Sometimes lunges his weight for punches in press; can get off-balance and crossed up
- Must match his footwork with his punches in press to stay strong and balanced
- Gets grabby when in trail for in-breaking routes
- Three career INTs were Christmas gifts from QBs
Scouting Summary
McKinney has an alluring frame at 6-foot-2 with long arms to boot. This allows him to match up in press man coverage and get hands on defenders to disrupt their releases, routes and interfere with the catch point. He has a good baseline for press work, but must continue to improve his balance when punching in press to avoid getting off-balance and in trail. If he does get into trail, he can get grabby to try to make up for separation.
Domani Jackson, Alabama
Strengths
- Size, speed, strength combo to play in the NFL
- Explosive athlete for his size
- Experience as both a left and right outside cornerback
- Long arms to hand-fight through the route and disrupt the catch point (good FINC% in 2023 and 2024)
Weaknesses
- Overly grabby right now; likely just from lack of experience
- High-waisted build; does not naturally sit down in his backpedals
- Has some false/misdirectional steps out of press
- Was too hesitant as a tackler in 2024 (higher missed tackle percentage than expected)
Scouting Summary
Jackson is a former state champion 100-meter dash sprinter who comes from not only a powerhouse high school program, but also two household college programs as well — first at USC, now at Alabama. He has competed against the best during his football career and has been up to the challenge. The reason why is because of his size and speed combination. At 6-foot-1 and over 200 pounds, he can still keep up with any receiver vertically, and he can disrupt the catch point with long arms.
He has experience in press, but his footwork needs to be cleaned up to mirror and match up the sideline — especially since he is high-waisted, and changing direction isn't always fluid. When in off coverage, he can trigger downhill quickly, but his tackling looked hesitant at times, which yielded more missed tackles than expected and ideal. He is physically gifted, but must be more fundamentally sound to take advantage of that.
Jeadyn Lukus, Clemson
Strengths
- Listed size (6-2, 200) doesn't seem to be fabricated watching him on tape
- High FINC% in 2023 and 2024; long arms a big reason why
- Comfortable in press and off-man coverage
- Good balance and center of gravity in his backpedal for a bigger cornerback
Weaknesses
- Has a bad habit of tackling high
- Lost some snaps/starts in 2024 due to lack of run defense/tackling reliability
- Can struggle to get off blocks
Scouting Summary
Lukus wins as a man coverage cornerback who has a good combination of length and long speed. He can play both press and off coverage assignments, where he keeps his eyes on the receiver and can typically carry them well vertically. He has a high forced incompletion percentage over the last few years because of those long arms, but only has two interceptions in his career. He lost snaps and starts in 2024 due to lack of reliability in run defense and when tackling. He must be stronger on a play-by-play basis to get to use that length advantage in coverage.
Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State
Strengths
- Good linear athlete with NFL-level first-step explosiveness
- Built like an NFL corner
- Good amount of experience in press in just three seasons
Weaknesses
- Top 10 in most penalties for the CB position in 2024 (DPI and holding)
- Seems to panic or not trust he can stick with WRs if he doesn't get hands on them/grab
- Struggles to get off blocks
- Feet are slow at the snap in press, which put him behind on the play
Scouting Summary
Igbinosun is a talented player with an NFL-level combination of height, length, weight and long speed. He has played a lot of reps in press coverage, which is the style he best projects to in a man-heavy system. However, his game lacked anticipation in 2024. He was top 10 in the FBS in penalties called against him in 2024, stemming from not anticipating receivers' releases and route breaks well enough as well as grabbing them to limit separation. He is also susceptible to double moves, especially out-and-ups. He has the tools to be a top-100 pick, but has to clean up his game first.
Daniel Harris, Georgia
Strengths
- Has the body of an outside wide receiver, yet plays defensive back
- Good long speed to match and run vs. vertical routes
Weaknesses
- Footwork looks a bit narrow and unbalanced in his shuffles and backpedal
- Slender frame can get pushed around in the run game
- Can struggle to stay close to receivers that are sharp in their routes
Scouting Summary
Harris has ideal length to be a mismatch advantage for the defense and bigger outside receivers. He can get his long arms up in press and at the catch point with efficiency. His footwork is a bit narrow and unbalanced in his shuffles and backpedals, and he can yield separation consistently against sharper route runners. He also must get stronger against the run to not get pushed around.
Nickel Cornerbacks
Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
Strengths
- Really good downhill athlete
- Appears to play with a passion; eager to make big plays
- Has a lot of positional versatility with his size and athleticism combo
- Career 10% missed tackle percentage vs. the run
Weaknesses
- Too much of an ankle tackler
- Could stand to be even more aggressive to the ball with better anticipation
Scouting Summary
Kilgore is a versatile defensive back in snap position (free safety, slot and box safety), size and athleticism. He does his best work from the slot playing as an APEX defender with some freelance freedom built into his role on most downs. He is fast to trigger downhill with some impactful tackles in the backfield, but does have a tendency to ankle-tackle too often.
His forced incompletion percentage is low, but not when accounting for his alignment role. He can already be viewed as a potential NFL secondary chess piece. The question is just how much better he can get with improved anticipation.
D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana
Strengths
- Top-tier quickness and top speed
- Consistent ball production as an underclassman with four total INTs and above a 13.0% FINC% in 2023 and 2024
- Single-digit missed tackle percentage in his career despite size concerns
Weaknesses
- A true size outlier for the position in the pros
- Shorter arms impact his ability to affect the catch point
- Willing tackler, but weight affects his efficacy
Scouting Summary
Ponds won't win the eye test for an NFL corner (5-foot-9, 170 lbs.), but when you turn on the tape, he sure plays like a guy you'd want on your NFL team. He's started at outside cornerback — first at James Madison, now at Indiana — and he could play there in the NFL, but his most impactful spot may be in the slot. He has an accomplished track background, which shows up via his top-tier quickness and long speed.
He has consistent ball production in the form of interceptions and forced incompletions, and boasts a surprisingly low missed tackle percentage despite his build. The tape is good; the big question is, how much of it translates when the competition gets even bigger, faster and stronger?
Smith Snowden, Utah
Strengths
- Natural and explosive athlete (track background)
- Like to get hands on receivers in press from the slot
- Appears to have longer arms than his height would indicate
- Fiery, competitive player
Weaknesses
- Small build might limit him to the slot in the NFL
- Can get over-aggressive to break on routes and get fooled by hesitation movement
- Can get pushed around against bigger receivers
Scouting Summary
Snowden is a smaller-sized, highly competitive nickel defender from Utah who might not “wow” you on the roster list, but his tape is that of a player you'd love to have on your defense. He is a naturally explosive athlete (track background) who can mirror vertical receivers from the slot. He is also comfortable and even relishes getting his hands on receivers in the contract window and fighting throughout the route.
He can be a bit over-aggressive, and because of that, he yielded more open targets than you'd like in 2024 — but that can be natural as a slot defender. He is a competitive run defender, but did have a higher missed tackle rate than desired. Overall, his mentality to make plays is gravitating and should play in the league.
Xavier Scott, Illinois
Strengths
- Has significant snaps at both wide and slot cornerback
- Very reliable tackler; single-digit missed tackle percentage against the run in 2023 and 2024
- Passionate run defender and blitzer
- Good instincts and the twitchiness to take advantage of them
- Feet move fast, especially in his backpedal, but he remains balanced
Weaknesses
- Running strides seem on the shorter side, so he has to give it his all to keep up and recover
- Injuries could get in the way of a successful NFL career
Scouting Summary
Scott is a versatile defensive back who has significant playing time as an outside and slot cornerback, but his most impactful position has been as a nickel defender. He single-handedly took over the Kansas game in 2024, which is very hard for a defensive back to do. He is a very reliable tackler and brings a passion in both run defense and pass rushing. He plays with good instincts and some twitchy change-of-direction movements to make the most of them.
It looks like he's moving as fast as he possibly can every rep, yet he stays balanced and in control. The only real knock on him is his top speed. His running strides seem short, and it is hard for him to recover if he yields initial separation. That only gets harder to do in the NFL.
Adon Shuler, Notre Dame
Strengths
- Good overall, twitchy athlete for the position
- Can match up against tight ends in man coverage
- Slippery when slicing through blockers in pass rush/blitz
Weaknesses
- High missed tackle rates in 2023 and 2024 (lacks some strength)
- A little on the small side for the position
- Game as an underclassman lacked ideal anticipation
Scouting Summary
Shuler is a twitchy nickel defender (diverse track background) who is most confident near the line of scrimmage or in man coverage. He lacks the feel and anticipation to be a deep zone safety, but improvements there can come with time.
DJ Harvey, USC
Strengths
- Small, but well-built for that size; weight distributed well and seems durable
- Speed and agility seem to be average/adequate
- Plays with good instincts
- Pretty reliable tackler in 2024
Weaknesses
- More of a damage-control corner than a lockdown one
- On the smaller side for the position in height/weight percentile
Scouting Summary
Harvey is a smaller but well-built, confident, cornerback who does his best work in off-zone coverage, where he can watch quarterbacks' eyes and manipulate spacing. His instincts often help him make up for being more of an average athlete for the position, and are a catalyst for his ball production. He is simply a bit smaller and not a special type of athlete to make up for it on every play, but he feels like he's consistently in the right place — an art and skill itself.
Tyreek Chappell, Texas A&M
Strengths
- Four years of starting experience at an SEC program
- Has starts under his belt at both outside and nickel cornerback
- Seems very comfortable and confident in his backpedal (even veering left and right)
- In-control player who does well to keep things in front of him
- Natural, fluid athlete
Weaknesses
- Season-ending, non-contact knee injury in 2024
- On the smaller size for both height and weight for the pros
- Might not have the top-end size or speed to play full-time outside
- High missed tackle percentage every season
Scouting Summary
Chappell will likely enter the 2026 NFL Draft with four years of starting experience in the SEC. He gained starter reps as a true freshman in 2021, beginning as an outside cornerback. He played there until 2024, where he was moved to nickel before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Prior to that, he showed all-around, natural, fluid athletic ability to play both press and off coverage.
He appears very comfortable in his backpedal and can turn in either direction quickly. He is on the smaller side for an outside cornerback, so he might be more of a nickel defender in the NFL. But, he must improve his run-defense strength and reliability when tackling to play closer to the line of scrimmage regularly.
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