The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy gives his top 10 cornerbacks in this year’s NFL draft, based on evaluations and conversations with people around the league:
Set up Delane Island in press coverage. Drives on underneath and in-breaking throws. Physical tackler in the run game. Allowed zero touchdowns and committed zero penalties last season, though his handsy style might be called differently in the NFL. Loose hips to change directions.
Might have been No. 1 if he played last season because his 2024 tape (four interceptions) is The Real McCoy. Quick reads and spatial awareness in zone. “No limits” after torn ACL in January 2025. Penalty prone downfield. Plays “cat coverage” — you have that “cat.”
Three-school, three-year journey ended with him filling McCoy’s shoes and making 4.5 tackles for loss. Safety-like run-defense mentality, but shifty receivers could give him issues. Runs stride-for-stride in man-to-man coverage on vertical routes. Only 13 career starts. Jams receivers off the ball.
Expert in reading quarterback eyes. Proof: Two long pick sixes among his four interceptions — all out of zone coverage. Inside/outside versatility. Tenacious tackler. One of the true athletic freaks of the NFL combine. Outmaneuvered on jump balls.
Good genes: Brother A.J. (2020 first-round pick) is a six-year starter. Undersized but feisty. Well-suited in the slot, where his footwork is fluid, his head is on a swivel and he can blitz. Eight forced fumbles and 21 passes defended since 2024.
Mostly played man-to-man coverage with no help on the perimeter (allowing just 13 completions in 2025). Could be an impact blitzer. Sure tackler who fires downhill with elite twitch. Ball-tracking lapses and top-end speed concerns. Averaged just 41 defensive snaps per game.
Too small? Not when you add in a 43.5-inch vertical tied for the best of any prospect at the combine. Competitive streak of an underdog. Sticky man-to-man coverage. Opponents will run at him in slot. Acceleration shows up on special teams. Four career touchdowns.
Plug-and-play 25-year-old rookie who could be converted from nickel to safety. Chess piece in sub packages. Won’t find many defensive backs with 13 tackles for loss last season. When not blitzing, wraps up receivers and limits yards after catch. Contagious energy.
Lanky four-year starter across Big Ten and SEC. Built to play press coverage. Sticks his long arms into catch point when a step behind. Susceptible to play-action fakes. Magnet for penalties (16 since 2024) and the NFL is more ticky-tack.
High football IQ — sometimes running the route for the receiver. Drives on underneath throws from zone coverage. Special teams value as a gunner. Will he be outmuscled by bigger receivers and swallowed up in the run game? More than 3,500 career snaps.
Ephesians Prysock, Washington, 6-3, 196: Ascending talent who played on both sides of the perimeter. Disrupts the catch point with long arms and closing speed to make up for delayed reactions. Carries receivers on vertical routes. Four-year special teams contributor. Stays too upright.
Devin Moore, Florida, 6-3, 198: Injury history includes two to the shoulder, groin surgery in December 2025, back issues and a concussion that cut short three seasons. Still ran 4.5-second 40-yard dash but wasn’t cleared for on-field drills until Pro Day. Four years on punt coverage. Lean frame.
Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin, 6-1, 193: Closing burst to create disruption, including four interceptions last season. Only 53 tackles over the last three seasons. School-record 35 career passes defended. More track than football in his background. Spurned Power Four transfer offers. Reroutes receivers with his ability to jam.
