2026 NFL draft, position by position: Could a long-term CB starter be in the cards?

From April 6-17, The Inquirer’s Eagles reporting team will be breaking down each position on the roster ahead of the NFL draft, looking at the depth chart and long-term personnel picture as well as some names that could emerge as Eagles targets in the April 23-25 event.

Here’s the state of the cornerback depth chart ahead of the draft:

(*Let’s get the asterisk out of the way first. Michael Carter II is still listed on the Eagles’ official roster as a cornerback, but he’s more likely to be involved in a roster battle at safety than he is at corner. Although if Cooper DeJean went down, Carter may be the logical choice to fill in at nickel.)

The Eagles had a relatively quiet free agency cycle, as expected, but their biggest splash was at the cornerback position. They signed Riq Woolen to a one-year deal reportedly worth as much as $15 million. Woolen, who turns 27 in May, is 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, which ranks in the 99th and 91st percentile at the position, according to MockDraftable. He’s big, and while he ended up splitting time with Josh Jobe down the stretch with Seattle last season, he has been one of the better cover corners in recent seasons. Woolen last season allowed a 27.6% completion rate in man coverage, according to Next Gen Stats, which was the lowest by any defender to face a minimum of 20 targets in man since at least 2018.

The Eagles needed a replacement for Adoree’ Jackson, and they got one of the better corners on the market.

Jackson was more than serviceable in 2025. For a position that was one of the question marks heading into 2025, it’s notable that it’s hard to think of a game when the Eagles lost or almost lost because of the CB2 spot. That being said, the Eagles have a formidable trio now with All-Pro corner Quinyon Mitchell, DeJean, an All-Pro nickel, and Woolen.

Beyond them, there are familiar names as backups and one new one: veteran corner Jonathan Jones, a 10-year veteran who played in 12 games with Washington last season, including seven starts. It’s a reserve group that includes two players who competed with Jackson for starting time last season: Kelee Ringo and Jakorian Bennett.

From a 2026 perspective, the Eagles are more than set at corner with premier talent starting and capable depth players waiting in the wings. But the picture is murky beyond 2026. Mitchell and DeJean are going to be in line for big raises, and the only player besides them on the depth chart under contract for 2027 is Mac McWilliams, a fifth-round pick last year. That makes the 2026 draft an interesting one for the Eagles at corner. — Jeff Neiburg

This is a strong defensive back class with at least five players worthy of being selected in the first round. The Eagles’ signing of Woolen this offseason means taking a cornerback in the first two rounds seems unlikely, but that hasn’t stopped the Eagles from showing interest in the position during the draft cycle.

Looking at thresholds from the Eagles’ previous draft picks under Howie Roseman at the position, which specifically includes players who participated at the scouting combine, the team typically targeted players who measured in at about 6 feet tall and ran an average of 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a 1.53 10-yard split.

With those numbers in mind, here are five players the Eagles could target in the draft:

Johnson, a two-year starter who was a heavy special teams contributor throughout his college career, is sticky in coverage, has excellent ball skills, and plays through wide receivers’ hands consistently at the catch point.

He faced questions about his athleticism entering the combine but answered them emphatically by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, jumping a 38-inch vertical, and leaping a 10-foot, 6-inch broad jump. He’s a scheme-versatile player with the instincts to play both man and zone coverages, although he’s at his best mirroring routes in man coverage with his patient technique.

Though he’s 6-foot, 193, Johnson struggles against bigger receivers as his lack of arm length (30⅝ inches) is noticeable in those matchups, and he doesn’t always find the ball in the air when his back is turned. He also has some inside-out versatility, which could allow him to play multiple roles in a defense.

Johnson has Round 1 talent, but his frame will probably push him to Day 2. If the Eagles are interested in him as their future cornerback, they may have to trade up to get him in the second round.

Igbinosun is a physical outside corner who makes life difficult for opposing receivers by disrupting timing at the line of scrimmage and jamming and altering their release path. The two-year starter, who measured in at the combine at 6-2, 189, also has the length (32⅞-inch arms) and speed (4.45-second 40) to defend vertical passes downfield.

He is feisty, competes at the catch point, and had excellent ball production (two interceptions, eight pass breakups) in 2025. Penalties were a negative for him (21 over the last two years) but became less of an issue in 2025. He doesn’t always locate the football with his back turned on vertical throws.

A likely Day 2 draft pick, Igbinosun projects best in a zone-heavy scheme where he can get his hands on receivers at the line of scrimmage and minimize some of his one-on-one targets against speedier wideouts. He could be the long-term answer for the Eagles with Ringo, Bennett, and Woolen set to be free agents next offseason.

Neal is a long, physical corner with size (6-2, 203) and length (32¾-inch arms) who can drive and break up passes with routes developing in front of him in off-coverage alignments. He spent four seasons at Fresno State before transferring to Arkansas in 2025, and finished with two interceptions and 10 pass breakups in his lone season in the SEC.

Because he’s a taller corner, Neal does not flip his hips as smoothly when he is forced to change directions quickly. He gets into trail position far too often and it leaves him susceptible to getting beaten deep.

Neal’s draft range is between late Day 2 to early Day 3 and he projects as a depth cornerback who has the skill set to develop into a starter.

Masses, who has less than average arm length (31⅛ inches) and weighed in at 179 pounds at the combine, is a physical player who can mirror routes in man coverage and is an in-breaking route eraser.

After three seasons at Florida International, Masses had a breakout season at Cal, finishing with five interceptions and 13 pass breakups in 13 games. Because of his physical play, Masses can get grabby at the top of routes and he’s high-hipped, which limits how quickly he can flip his hips against out-breaking routes.

The cornerback tested like a solid but not great athlete at the combine, and does not consistently tackle in the open field. Still, there are traits for Masses that will translate to the NFL level, like his ball skills and physicality at the catch point. He’s a likely Day 3 pick who can serve as a developmental corner for the Eagles.

Demmings, one of the top small-school prospects in this draft class, is a physical corner who has length (32-inch arms) and gets his hands on the football consistently.

He finished the 2025 season with four interceptions and nine pass breakups, and showcased his vertical speed on film and at the combine (4.41-second 40). He was at his best playing press man coverage and getting his hands on the receiver at the line of scrimmage.

Demmings can be a step slow transitioning out of his backpedal and closing on routes developing in front of him. The lack of competition he faced in college will make for a transition period in the NFL. His ability to locate the football while in coverage downfield makes him a worthy developmental player for the Eagles to target on Day 3. — Devin Jackson