Skip to main content
Advertising

Chargers Official Site | Los Angeles Chargers - chargers.com

Why ESPN's Jordan Reid Believes Chargers Could Draft a Cornerback in 2026

ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid talked to Chargers.com about the team's cornerback room and the depth of the 2026 class

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman
AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Welcome to Part 5 of our draft preview series, which will be a position-by-position look at key prospects and where the Chargers roster stands ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. This series will include a look at which prospects could be options for the Chargers later this month.

We chatted with ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid to break down the cornerbacks in this draft class. Reid can be found on X/Twitter @JordanReid for his analysis.

Chargers status at cornerback

Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart, Deane Leonard, Nikko Reed, Eric Rogers, Isas Waxter and Jordan Oladokun

The Chargers cornerback group stepped up once again in 2025, which included consistent contributions from a group of Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, all of whom return for 2026.

Jackson, who was added in free agency last offseason, continued his playmaker ways in his first season in powder blue with a team-best 12 passes defensed while tying for the team lead with four interceptions.

He also allowed just 24 receptions among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps in 2025, good for the second-fewest among players in that group as he played in all 17 games.

For Still and Hart, they also saw a big part in the action as the duo led the team in snaps among the position last season.

The two combined for 18 passes defensed in 2025, as Hart notched his first career interception as well.

The Chargers also brought back Deane Leonard, a special teams ace who has been a fixture on that unit and also the defense, in free agency. He figures to see a lot of action this preseason along with Nikko Reed, an undrafted free agent last season who played in five games.

Rounding out the group is the trio of young players in Eric Rogers, Isas Waxter and Jordan Oladokun.

Take a look back at the best photos of the defense's 2025 campaign.

Is it a position of need?

There's no such thing as too many cornerbacks.

Reid believes that while the current group is set as is, there could be room for adding another young player to the mix.

"You can never have too many corners, honestly," Reid said. "I think they have two good young ones in Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart.

"They both showed some things in their first two years there," Reid added.

The room as it stands is one that draft analyst likes and the team could carry into 2026.

But with the class being so deep in the middle to late rounds, he could see an addition happening at some point throughout the three days.

"I don't think it's a super high need, but of course, you can never have too many of those guys," Reid said. "I still expect them to take one, but I like Still and Hart and continue to develop both of them."

Key Questions for 2026

1. What is your view of Tarheeb Still now after two seasons?

"I like his versatility and the ball skills that he has. He had four picks in his first year and didn't have any last year, but I like the way he gets his hands on the ball and the athleticism he plays with so I think he's going to be in for a big bounce back year."

2. If the Chargers decide to go cornerback at No. 22, who is a prospect around that range that you like as a fit?

"I would say Colton Hood out of Tennessee. That is the sweet spot of probably where he's going to end up going. He's young and was only a redshirt sophomore this past season. He's bounced around with three schools in three years so he really didn't find a home until the past season at Tennessee when he was able to thrive in his first year as a true starter. I thought he blossomed at the Senior Bowl and was one of the better corners there. At events like that, you want to see projected first-round picks to look as such and I thought he definitely did."

3. What about a potential Day 2 option?

"I'll give you two names. Julian Neal out of Arkansas, he's one they could like quite a bit. Really good ball skills and a big, physical corner that can thrive in zone. He's scheme versatile as well and can come up and hit you. The other one who I think is underrated is Daylen Everette out of Georgia. He'll probably go in the third round and I think he has starter upside. It's just amazing how someone can be underrated coming out of Georgia, but he's one of the most underrated guys in this class."

Take a look back at photos of the Bolt Fam showing out during the 2025 season. Want to join the Bolt Fam? Click here for more information!

Expert rankings

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah currently has seven cornerbacks in his latest Top 50 list, while ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., has two in his Top 25.

The Athletic's Dane Brugler has 13 cornerbacks in his most recent Top 100 list, with the highest coming in at No. 6 (Mansoor Delane).

Pro Football Focus has 14 cornerbacks in the top 100 in their Big Board Rankings, with a high of No. 9 (Delane).

Potential Chargers options

Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name).

School: Clemson | Year: Junior | Ht: 5-foot-11 | Wt: 186 pounds

2025 stats: 12 games; 48 tackles (38 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, nine passes defensed, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery

Quick fact: Terrell earned Second-Team All-American honors after setting a Clemson single-season record for forced fumbles by a defensive back with five, as he finished his career with a total of eight.

Reid's take: "I love him, one of my favorite players in the draft just because of the bloodlines that he has and being the younger brother of [Falcons cornerback] A.J. Terrell. The feistiness he plays with, he can play nickel or outside. Has really good ball skills, he didn't have a pick this past year but had nine pass breakups and five forced fumbles. So, he creates turnovers even if it's not interceptions. He has a knack for punching the ball out and I love the competitiveness he plays with."

JermodMcCoy

School: Tennessee | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 188 pounds

2025 stats: Did not see action while rehabbing from an offseason knee injury

Quick fact: A Second-Team All-American in 2024, McCoy led the Volunteers with 13 passes defended that season and allowed just one touchdown during 640 regular-season snaps.

ColtonHood

School: Tennessee | Year: Redshirt Sophomore | Ht: 6-foot-0 | Wt: 193 pounds

2025 stats: 12 games; 50 tackles (34 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, nine passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery

Quick fact: Hood started every game for Tennessee in his lone season with the school and boasted an 83.3 Pro Football Focus coverage grade in 2025, good for third-best among SEC cornerbacks with at least 300 snaps.

DAngeloPonds

School: Indiana | Year: Junior | Ht: 5-foot-9 | Wt: 182 pounds

2025 stats: 15 games; 61 tackles (44 solo), 4.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one blocked punt

Quick fact: Ponds was named the Defensive MVP of both the Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl enroute to a National Championship win to cap off his All-American season with the Hoosiers.

ChrisJohnson

School: San Diego State | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-0 | Wt: 193 pounds

2025 stats: 11 games; 49 tackles (36 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, four interceptions, 13 passes defensed, one forced fumble

Quick fact: Johnson was named the Co-Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 after not allowing a touchdown and returning two of his four interceptions for touchdowns in a stellar campaign.

Reid's take: "This my guy right here. He was my sleeper four months ago and now you see him in pop up on Top 40 lists everywhere. One of the rare instances where he won the Defensive Player of the Year as a corner. He was the Mountain West Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He's just so smooth in his technique, really physical as a tackler, just patient and polished. He has such mature game that translates to the NFL right away. He's really good in zone and keeping his eyes on the quarterback and recognizing routes. The biggest question with him was his speed because he doesn't look overly fast on tape but he ran in the 4.4s at the Combine so he checked that box."

Cisse

School: South Carolina | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-0 | Wt: 189 pounds

2025 stats: 12 games; 27 tackles (19 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception, six passes defensed, one forced fumble

Quick fact: After starting his college career at North Carolina State, Cisse made an impression in his lone season at South Carolina as he tied for second on the squad with five pass breakups.

Reid's take: "A little bit more athlete than football player right now. Really fast, he just needs some more polish with his technique and needs to add a little weight to his frame at 189 pounds. But he's somebody, two years from now, where you're projecting him to be one of the better corners in this year's class just because he needs to polish up his technique a little bit."

KeithAbney

School: Arizona State | Year: Junior | Ht: 5-foot-10 | Wt: 187 pounds

2025 stats: 12 games; 44 tackles (36 solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, 1.0 sack, two interceptions, 14 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery

Quick fact: A year after tying for the team lead in interceptions and helping the Sun Devils get to the College Football Playoff, Abney earned a First-Team All-Big 12 selection after 12 pass breakups during the 2025 season.

KeionteScott

School: Miami | Year: Senior | Ht: 5-foot-11 | Wt: 193 pounds

2025 stats: 14 games; 64 tackles (42 solo), 13.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries

Quick fact: Scott was a crucial player to the Miami defense that helped propel the school to the National Championship Game, as his 13 tackles for loss were the third-most on team.

TreydanStukes

School: Arizona | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 190 pounds

2025 stats: 10 games; 52 tackles (24 solo), 1.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, four interceptions, 10 passes defensed

Quick fact: Stukes earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors after helping be a disruptor of the Wildcats defense that ranked first in the nation in team pass efficiency defense (97.20).

Advertising