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And everyone should get familiar with these names cause next year this our most likely first round pick:
JERMOD MCCOY, TENNESSEE
McCoy was a lockdown player for the Volunteers after transferring in from Oregon State. His 89.6 coverage grade in 2024 is second among returning Power Four corners, while his four interceptions were tied for second in that same group.
McCoy has great ball skills with phenomenal movement ability, scoring a near-perfect 99.9 in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric. He unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in January during offseason workouts, leaving his status for the 2025 season in jeopardy.
AVIEON TERRELL, CLEMSON
The younger brother of current Atlanta Falcons corner A.J. Terrell, Avieon is projected to follow in his brother’s footsteps from Clemson to the first round of the NFL draft. The younger Terrell is a much better run defender than his brother, placing fourth among all cornerbacks with a 90.7 run-defense grade this past season, while his three forced fumbles tied for second. He’s still excellent in coverage as well, leading all Power Four corners with 14 forced incompletions in 2024.
While not the biggest at just 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Terrell plays with outstanding physicality for the position and has the speed to stick with receivers in man coverage.
MALIK MUHAMMAD, TEXAS
The Longhorns may have lost a first-round cornerback in the aforementioned Barron, but they’re still in a great spot with Muhammad returning for his junior season. Only three returning Power Four corners have been more valuable than him over the last two seasons, according to our WAA metric. He has 17 forced incompletions in that span despite only being targeted on 12.1% of his coverage snaps.
While not an elite athlete, Muhammad wins with his instincts and ability to click and close in coverage.
A.J. HARRIS, PENN STATE
After playing sparingly at Georgia as a true freshman, Harris transferred to Penn State and showed why he was a top-40 recruit coming out of high school. He finished his sophomore year as one of the 10 most valuable cornerbacks in the nation according to PFF’s wins above average metric while only allowing 0.76 yards per coverage snap.
Harris can succeed on the outside or in the slot and has excellent instincts in zone coverage while being overall very technically refined.
JALON KILGORE, SOUTH CAROLINA
Kilgore projects as one of the best slot corners in the draft, playing in that role for the Game****s this past season. He has an excellent combination of size (6-foot-2, 219 pounds) and speed for the position, hitting over 23 miles per hour according to our player-tracking data in 2024.
Kilgore’s five interceptions this past season were tied for the second-most among Power Four corners while also earning a strong 74.6 run-defense grade.
D.J. MCKINNEY, COLORADO
Colorado may have lost a Heisman Trophy winner at corner in Travis Hunter, but the Buffaloes are still strong at the position, thanks in large part to McKinney's return. The Oklahoma State transfer had a solid first year in Boulder, earning a 75.3 coverage grade. He surrendered just a 58.1 passer rating into his coverage with three interceptions and seven forced incompletions.
He has good length for the position at 6-foot-2 with adequate speed for the position as well.
MANSOOR DELANE, LSU
Delane joins LSU after three years at Virginia Tech. While he hasn’t quite hit the highs of his freshman year in 2022 (82.7 PFF grade), he is still a cerebral and competitive player who plays far bigger than his 187-pound frame would indicate.
Delane’s a reliable run defender, earning 70.0-plus run-defense grades in all three of his seasons. He’s also a fluid mover in coverage who can succeed in a man or zone scheme.
D’ANGELO PONDS, INDIANA
“The first guy off the bus” is a phrase used to describe a team’s physically most imposing player. In that sense, Ponds would likely be the last off the bus for the Hoosiers at just 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. That hasn’t kept him from performing like one of the nation’s best corners in each of his first two seasons, though.
Ponds showed his true freshman season at James Madison was no fluke, placing as one of the 15 most valuable corners in the nation once again at Indiana. His 91.8 PFF grade over the last two years is the highest among all returning FBS cornerbacks as well. There’s zero fear in Ponds’ game, both in coverage and in run defense.
CHANDLER RIVERS, DUKE
Rivers enjoyed a breakout junior campaign with the Blue Devils, tying with Jahdae Barron for the highest PFF grade among Power Four cornerbacks (90.7). Only the top player on this list, Leonard Moore, was more valuable than him this past season, according to our wins above average metric.
Rivers has versatility as both an outside corner and nickel defender and is an expert at reading the quarterback’s eyes in zone coverage. He’s also a weapon as a blitzer, placing second among Power Four corners with nine pressures last year.
TACARIO DAVIS, WASHINGTON
Davis was a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft last summer thanks to his elite length (6-foot-4) and fantastic sophomore season (85.9 coverage grade in 2023). That all came crashing down to earth this past season as he posted just a 61.7 coverage grade, looking far less comfortable in man coverage than he did the year prior.
Still, there’s a chance he returns to his sophomore form after transferring to Washington from Arizona, where he’ll be reunited with head coach Jedd Fisch.
JERMOD MCCOY, TENNESSEE
McCoy was a lockdown player for the Volunteers after transferring in from Oregon State. His 89.6 coverage grade in 2024 is second among returning Power Four corners, while his four interceptions were tied for second in that same group.
McCoy has great ball skills with phenomenal movement ability, scoring a near-perfect 99.9 in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric. He unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in January during offseason workouts, leaving his status for the 2025 season in jeopardy.
AVIEON TERRELL, CLEMSON
The younger brother of current Atlanta Falcons corner A.J. Terrell, Avieon is projected to follow in his brother’s footsteps from Clemson to the first round of the NFL draft. The younger Terrell is a much better run defender than his brother, placing fourth among all cornerbacks with a 90.7 run-defense grade this past season, while his three forced fumbles tied for second. He’s still excellent in coverage as well, leading all Power Four corners with 14 forced incompletions in 2024.
While not the biggest at just 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Terrell plays with outstanding physicality for the position and has the speed to stick with receivers in man coverage.
MALIK MUHAMMAD, TEXAS
The Longhorns may have lost a first-round cornerback in the aforementioned Barron, but they’re still in a great spot with Muhammad returning for his junior season. Only three returning Power Four corners have been more valuable than him over the last two seasons, according to our WAA metric. He has 17 forced incompletions in that span despite only being targeted on 12.1% of his coverage snaps.
While not an elite athlete, Muhammad wins with his instincts and ability to click and close in coverage.
A.J. HARRIS, PENN STATE
After playing sparingly at Georgia as a true freshman, Harris transferred to Penn State and showed why he was a top-40 recruit coming out of high school. He finished his sophomore year as one of the 10 most valuable cornerbacks in the nation according to PFF’s wins above average metric while only allowing 0.76 yards per coverage snap.
Harris can succeed on the outside or in the slot and has excellent instincts in zone coverage while being overall very technically refined.
JALON KILGORE, SOUTH CAROLINA
Kilgore projects as one of the best slot corners in the draft, playing in that role for the Game****s this past season. He has an excellent combination of size (6-foot-2, 219 pounds) and speed for the position, hitting over 23 miles per hour according to our player-tracking data in 2024.
Kilgore’s five interceptions this past season were tied for the second-most among Power Four corners while also earning a strong 74.6 run-defense grade.
D.J. MCKINNEY, COLORADO
Colorado may have lost a Heisman Trophy winner at corner in Travis Hunter, but the Buffaloes are still strong at the position, thanks in large part to McKinney's return. The Oklahoma State transfer had a solid first year in Boulder, earning a 75.3 coverage grade. He surrendered just a 58.1 passer rating into his coverage with three interceptions and seven forced incompletions.
He has good length for the position at 6-foot-2 with adequate speed for the position as well.
MANSOOR DELANE, LSU
Delane joins LSU after three years at Virginia Tech. While he hasn’t quite hit the highs of his freshman year in 2022 (82.7 PFF grade), he is still a cerebral and competitive player who plays far bigger than his 187-pound frame would indicate.
Delane’s a reliable run defender, earning 70.0-plus run-defense grades in all three of his seasons. He’s also a fluid mover in coverage who can succeed in a man or zone scheme.
D’ANGELO PONDS, INDIANA
“The first guy off the bus” is a phrase used to describe a team’s physically most imposing player. In that sense, Ponds would likely be the last off the bus for the Hoosiers at just 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. That hasn’t kept him from performing like one of the nation’s best corners in each of his first two seasons, though.
Ponds showed his true freshman season at James Madison was no fluke, placing as one of the 15 most valuable corners in the nation once again at Indiana. His 91.8 PFF grade over the last two years is the highest among all returning FBS cornerbacks as well. There’s zero fear in Ponds’ game, both in coverage and in run defense.
CHANDLER RIVERS, DUKE
Rivers enjoyed a breakout junior campaign with the Blue Devils, tying with Jahdae Barron for the highest PFF grade among Power Four cornerbacks (90.7). Only the top player on this list, Leonard Moore, was more valuable than him this past season, according to our wins above average metric.
Rivers has versatility as both an outside corner and nickel defender and is an expert at reading the quarterback’s eyes in zone coverage. He’s also a weapon as a blitzer, placing second among Power Four corners with nine pressures last year.
TACARIO DAVIS, WASHINGTON
Davis was a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft last summer thanks to his elite length (6-foot-4) and fantastic sophomore season (85.9 coverage grade in 2023). That all came crashing down to earth this past season as he posted just a 61.7 coverage grade, looking far less comfortable in man coverage than he did the year prior.
Still, there’s a chance he returns to his sophomore form after transferring to Washington from Arizona, where he’ll be reunited with head coach Jedd Fisch.
