Football With Chaw Creator

Taylor Czajkowski (Chaw)

If your team is in the market for a starting cornerback, you just might be in luck. The 2026 NFL Draft is just 250 days away and the cornerbacks are looking like a strong group heading into the season. While there are questions about the number of true boundary corners in this class, it’s full of guys who can start on any NFL defense. Day 2 of the draft should see a lot of corners get taken.

note: these are the only 10 CBs I’ve summer scouted, I’ll drop some names I’ll be watching next down below. You can also watch our review of these CBs on the Draft Professors Podcast!

Gray plays with real toughness and isn’t afraid to get physical on flat routes, blowing up quick passes with aggression. He went toe-to-toe with 6’6” Duce Robinson and held his own, showing the ability to compete against size. His closing speed jumps off the tape, and he’s a willing tackler who can be trusted near the line of scrimmage. In coverage, he’s fantastic when he keeps his technique clean. But he has a tendency to play flat-footed, which leaves him vulnerable to getting beat overtop, and when he panics in coverage, he gets too grabby. That showed up with a big pass interference penalty against Ja’Kobi Lane, followed soon after by another against Makai Lemon. When he was the #2 CB opposite Benjamin Morrison last year, he was at his best. Look for him to get back to that #2 CB spot but this time with 2027 phenom Leonard Moore. If you don’t know the name, learn it now. He’s going to be a first-round pick.

PROJECTION: ROUND 2-3 PICK

Jackson is a physical corner who plays with good discipline and awareness. He consistently shows toughness at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point. His game against Missouri stood out for his run defense, and he’s a solid tackler in the open field when technique is right. He also had a great recognition play on a screen that he jumped for an interception, and he’s capable of playing strong man-to-man coverage along the sideline. He’s tough, but there are too many missed tackles on tape, and he can be overly physical at the top of routes. He also gave up an inside slant on 4th down that would’ve ended the game. Jackson is a tremendous athlete at the position, tying the state record 100m dash time of 10.21 in high school. The physical traits pop off the charts, but he needs to be a more consistent player for the Tide in 2025 in order to push to be a first rounder.

PROJECTION: ROUND 3 PICK