2026 NFL Draft defensive back rankings
The Defensive Back position in the NFL is starting to feel similar to its counterpart on the other side of the football – the expansion of the passing game at all levels of football and the ways that teams defend it is now giving us all different styles of defensive back, much like the wide receiver position. We’ve got big-bodied, physical ball-winners, smaller and quicker guys who excel in the slot, and zone coverage specialists who read and react at insane speeds. And I haven’t even started to discuss how the safety position has almost just become “football player” with all that they are asked to do.
Here are our top DBs in the 2026 NFL draft class: MORE: Top 10 running backs in the 2026 NFL Draft 1. S Caleb Downs, Ohio State Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs (DB34) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images I believe Caleb Downs to be the best football player in this class.
He truly excels in every part of being a safety and can play in multiple alignments. It would be foolish for anyone to pigeonhole him into a specific role, because he can play multiple. But, since safety is a non-premium position in today’s NFL landscape, don’t be surprised to see him fall out of the top-5, or even top-10.
2. CB Mansoor Delane, LSU The technician of the position did not allow a touchdown in 2025, and did not commit a penalty either. That is not something that you see every day.
I believe Delane to be very much in the Derek Stingley/Richard Sherman category of “elite zone coverage corner who never gets thrown at because he’s always in perfect position and he’s fast enough to not get torched deep. ” 3. CB Jermond McCoy, Tennessee In 2024, McCoy profiled as an elite corner who can play both man and zone coverage at the NFL level.
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