Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft (April 23-25 in Pittsburgh), we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at the Detroit Lions’ roster and how the team’s needs can be met on draft weekend. Today: Cornerbacks.
Previously: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, interior offensive linemen, offensive tackles, defensive tackles, edge defenders, linebackers
Current roster outlook
The Lions have invested a notable amount of resources at cornerback over the last two years, using a couple of premium draft assets in 2024 to acquire Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. while also signing D.J. Reed in 2025 to a three-year, $48 million deal. In a perfect world, those three would be Detroit’s starters at cornerback, with Arnold and Reed on the outside and Rakestraw in the slot. But the ideal scenario has not yet hit for the Lions, as Arnold has improved but hurt his shoulder and missed eight games last season; Rakestraw, dealing with various injuries, has played 46 defensive snaps since being drafted; and Reed wasn’t his usual self in 2025 after suffering a hamstring strain in Week 4.
Also of note: Arnold’s name has been mentioned in court documents related to an armed robbery and kidnapping case that took place in Florida. Arnold has not been charged with a crime, and Lions coach Dan Campbell said, given the information he knows, “it seems like (Arnold) wasn’t involved with this.” Campbell, speaking at owners meetings in March, also added: “Until something happens, I feel like we’re going to be good here. I’m going to trust what the kid said that we’re all right.”
Amik Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin were forced into larger-than-expected roles in 2025 because of the attrition at cornerback. Robertson, who has since left for the Washington Commanders on a two-year contract, struggled on the outside. Ya-Sin was Detroit’s most consistent player at the position from start to finish, and the Lions rewarded him with a one-year commitment worth $3.2 million, a significant raise from the $1.2 million he earned in 2025. Ya-Sin hasn’t played for the same team in consecutive seasons since he was with the Indianapolis Colts (2019-21). He seems to have found a home in Detroit, at least temporarily.
Also returning from last season are Khalil Dorsey and Nick Whiteside. Most of Dorsey’s value is felt on special teams as one of the league’s best gunners. Whiteside, a Michigan native who attended Saginaw Valley State, filled in admirably in a Week 7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, seeing 40 defensive reps. Roger McCreary signed with the Lions in March on a cheap, one-year pact. Most of McCreary’s time in the NFL has been spent in the slot. His standing as a starter isn’t set in stone by any means, but he’s seemingly the favorite to get on the field first when Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard deploys nickel packages.
Level of need: Medium-High. On paper, the Lions already have enough at cornerback, with two top-75 draft picks and a veteran on a lucrative deal to go along with some solid depth. But the game isn’t played on paper, and last season’s struggles can’t be ignored; Detroit’s defense allowed 58 explosive passing plays in 2025 (at least 20 yards), tied with the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans for fourth most in the league. The only teams who did worse were the Baltimore Ravens (64), Chicago Bears (61) and Cincinnati Bengals (60).
At the top
A couple of the draft’s most talented prospects play cornerback. Mansoor Delane (LSU, No. 10 on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board) and Jermod McCoy (Tennessee, No. 14) could both realistically be in play for the Lions at No. 17 overall. McCoy, specifically, is interesting. He was superb for the Vols in 2024, posting a passer rating against (54.5) that ranked 19th among 223 qualified cornerbacks (minimum 300 coverage snaps), and he did so while playing a ton of man-to-man coverage, making him all the more attractive for a team like the Lions.
But McCoy, who started his collegiate career with a solid season at Oregon State in 2023, tore his ACL in January 2025, ending his third season well before it could begin. Had McCoy been healthy and repeated his 2024 efforts in 2025, he’d be viewed as a borderline lock to go within the draft’s first 10 picks. Can one elite season still buoy him into the top 20? Also to be considered is the long-term health of his knee. For whatever it’s worth, McCoy looked good at Tennessee’s Pro Day on March 31 after skipping testing drills at the combine in February. His results in the 40-yard dash (4.37 seconds), broad jump (10 feet, 7 inches) and vertical jump (38 inches) would’ve ranked second, 10th and tied for 15th among CBs at the combine, respectively.
Other cornerbacks who could go in the first round include Avieon Terrell (Clemson, No. 32), Colton Hood (Tennessee, No. 34) and Chris Johnson (San Diego State, No. 38). There are concerns about Terrell’s size (5-foot-10¾, 186 pounds) and speed, but neither trait seemed to bother him much at Clemson, where he played well on the outside and in the slot. Terrell, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, was effective versus both the run and pass, and he thrived at knocking the ball loose (eight career forced fumbles, with five in 2025).
Like McCoy, Hood (5-11⅝, 193 pounds) has recorded a good amount of man-to-man reps while working under defensive coordinator Tim Banks, a Detroit native who played cornerback at Central Michigan. Hood, with 4.44 speed, is sticky in coverage. Johnson, meanwhile, was as dominant as you’d expect for a player of his caliber to be in the Mountain West Conference. Johnson paced the nation in passer rating against (16.1) in 2025 among qualified CBs. He allowed 185 yards on 18 catches (43 targets) with five pass breakups and four interceptions, according to Pro Football Focus.
Teams who could be after CB in Round 1: Jets (No. 2, 16) Chiefs (9), Giants (10), Dolphins (11), Cowboys (12, 20), Lions (17), Vikings (18), Seahawks (32)
Down the board
Brandon Cisse (South Carolina, No. 44), D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana, No. 51) and Keith Abney II (Arizona State, No. 70) are a few of the top options remaining on the outside (though Ponds and Abney have inside-out versatility), with each expected to come off the board sometime on Day 2. Ponds (5-8⅝, 182 pounds) is one of the shortest prospects this cycle, but he was Indiana’s best defensive player on its run to and through the national championship. Ponds had great ball production over his three seasons in college, totaling 33 pass deflections and seven interceptions.
Moving to the slot, Treydan Stukes (Arizona, No. 54) and Keionte Scott (Miami, No. 65) are some of the most exciting players in the draft, and both could be available when Detroit’s second-round selection (No. 50 overall) rolls around. Stukes and Scott — both about 24½ years old — played six seasons apiece in college, limiting their perceived ceilings but providing what’s expected to be pro-ready floors. Stukes is known for his coverage abilities. Scott is an aggressive run defender who “plays like a linebacker in a cornerback’s body,” as described by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Outside the top 100, Will Lee III (Texas A&M, No. 125), Tacario Davis (Washington, No. 130), Ephesians Prysock (Washington, No. 142) and Charles Demmings (Stephen F. Austin, No. 160) are outside cornerbacks who’ve either played in man-heavy schemes or shown traits which could translate to one. They all check the measurables box, with arms between 32 and 34 inches and heights above 6-1 (Davis and Prysock are above 6-3).
Demmings had a strong performance at the combine. His 40-yard dash (4.41 seconds) ranked sixth among CBs, and his vertical jump (42 inches) was behind only Ponds (43½). Demmings also had a broad jump (11 feet) better than all but one cornerback (Arkansas’ Julian Neal beat him by two inches). Over five seasons at Stephen F. Austin, Demmings posted nine interceptions and 19 pass deflections. He allowed 18 catches (37 targets) for 246 yards and a touchdown in 2025.
Best time for Lions to target CB: It all comes down to the talent available at other positions of need. If all of Detroit’s favorite offensive tackles and defensive ends have been drafted by No. 17, perhaps someone like McCoy is the best pick. After all, as we’ve seen with Jameson Williams (2022) and Hendon Hooker (2023), injury concerns, specifically torn ACLs, aren’t a disqualifier for GM Brad Holmes. If the Lions hope to land an impact player in the slot, No. 50 is the sweet spot for Stukes or Scott. Day 3 should provide ample opportunities to add a scheme fit, with Demmings sticking out as an FCS standout who has all the tools to be molded into a quality player at the next level.
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Lions 2026 draft preview: Cornerback could be in play as early as Day 1
Reporting by Richard Silva, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
