Falcons met with versatile cornerback prospect ahead of 2026 NFL draft

Upon first glance, it might seem like the Atlanta Falcons don't have a need at cornerback going into the draft. However, the truth is teams can never have too much depth in their secondary in the modern NFL - and great teams get there by building on their strengths, not by neglecting them. That's how the Philadelphia Eagles constructed their lethal defensive line, how the Seattle Seahawks got their awesome secondary, and so on.

The Falcons can follow suit by continuing to build up their defensive backfield. One name to watch is that of USF cornerback De'Shawn Rucker, who told NFL Draft on SI that he's met with the Falcons, as well as the Bucs, Chiefs, Jets and Broncos. Rucker (six-foot, 185 pounds) put in three years at Tennessee before transferring to USF prior to the 2024 season.

All together, he's appeared in 48 college games , totaling one interception, 12 pass breakups and 3. 5 tackles for a loss. The biggest selling point for Rucker is his ability to play any spot on the back end, offering depth on the boundary, in the slot and at safety.

On tape, Rucker uses his plus athleticism ( 8. 41 RAS ) combined with a physical style. If the Falcons are truly enamored with Rucker, they can probably wait until Day 3 to target him.