Cornerback has been a long-standing area of need for the Green Bay Packers, and the 2026 NFL Draft could bring some answers, as corner is one of the deepest positions in this year’s class.
As with any other position, there are body types and athletic profiles Green Bay gravitates towards. Since 2005, their average draft pick at corner has been 5-11 ¾, 194 pounds, with 31 ¼” arms. The lowest measurements have been 5-10 ¼, 183 pounds, and 30 ¼”.
Bigger is not always better at cornerback, as taller players can struggle to flip their hips and stay close to receivers. The Packers have generally drafted well-proportioned athletes, who have enough mass for their height.
Cornerback is a stopwatch position, and speed matters immensely. This has been reflected in the Packers’ picks over the years. The average 40 time of their corner selections has been 4.46, which ranks in the 81st percentile, while the average 10-yard split has been 1.55.
The worst 40 they have drafted is a 4.57, which is still a 50th percentile score. It is not just speed though. Agility and change of direction are also vital at the cornerback position and are traits Green Bay has valued.
That is best reflected in the 3-cone, where the average score of their draft picks is 6.86 (84th percentile) and the worst mark has been 7.15 (40th). The average shuttle time of 4.19 is also a 76th percentile score.
Taking into account the body types and athleticism the Packers have historically drafted, here are the best fits in the 2026 NFL Draft, ranked between No. 30 and 350 on the consensus big board:
Leaving the draft with one of Hood, Johnson or Cisse may be the dream scenario for the Packers, and it may remain a dream. If they are to secure one of them, it will likely be a case of one of them falling close enough for Green Bay for them to trade up and get them.
Based on the volume of prospects, they are more likely to grab a corner in Rounds 3 or 4, with plenty of options available there.
Muhammad did not look like a fit initially due to his build at 6-0, 182 pounds, but he re-measured and was 5-11 ¾, 190 pounds at his pro day, which is much more proportionate and would put him back in the mix.
Moore has an extensive injury history which may scare the Packers away. However, his tape is strong and he is a very smooth athlete for such a big corner at over 6-3, 198 pounds.
Lee is not built like a Packers corner based on combine measurements of 6-1 ½, 189 pounds, but he measured shorter at his pro day (6-0 ⅞), and although he did not weigh in, it is possible he has put on weight and is denser now. Lee has been to Green Bay on a pre-draft visit, as has Demmings. Brian Gutekunst has drafted “30 visit” players a lot, so that puts them very much on the radar.
Beyond the top 350, the Packers have brought in three cornerbacks for visits; Karon Prunty from Wake Forest (371), Malcolm Dewalt from Akron (not ranked) and D’Arco Perkins-McAllister from Louisiana-Monroe (not ranked). Consider them potential seventh-round picks or UDFA targets.
As far as players who are expected to be drafted on Day 1 or 2 who were omitted from the list, Avieon Terrell from Clemson (32) is only 184 pounds and ran a 4.64, which is a bad combination at corner.
D’Angelo Ponds from Indiana (51) is only 5-8 ½, 182 pounds with 29 ⅜” arms, while Treydan Stukes from Arizona (54) and Keionte Scott from Miami (65) are slot corners. Gutekunst has never drafted a cornerback who played more than 91 slot snaps in their entire college career.
Keith Abney from Arizona State (70) has played outside but is under 5-10. Gutekunst admitted after drafting Jaire Alexander (5-10 ¼) that he was right on the line of an acceptable height.
Ohio State’s (79) Davison Igbinosun is not a fit if they care about players being proportionately weighted for their height, as he is 6-2 ⅛, 189 pounds. All the corners Green Bay has drafted who weighed under 190 pounds were under 5-11, and all of their corners over 6-0 weighed at least 194 pounds. But technically he does not fail in any area of his athletic testing, and they did bring in Lee for a visit, who is similarly built, so it is not out of the question they could be interested in Igbinosun.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers Prospects: 13 best cornerback fits in 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Mark Oldacres, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
