After building one of the NFL’s top secondaries with Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, and Marcus Jones, the New England Patriots can use the 2026 NFL Draft to secure a developmental cornerback who adds depth and future stability behind their starters.
Our 2026 NFL Draft Profiles continue today with best fits for the New England Patriots at a position that could afford to add additional depth behind their starting trio: cornerback.
New England boasts one of the NFL’s top secondaries, and a big part of their success is the duo of Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III on the boundary with Marcus Jones roaming the middle as a nickel.
The Patriots are loaded with top-end talent at the position, but the depth of the room falls off quickly. With a history of injury for all three players, Gonzalez entering massive contract negotiations, and Davis having no guaranteed cash coming his way following 2026, New England would be well-justified in adding talent to round out the room.
They’ll turn to the draft to do so, and will have their pick of boundary and slot defenders who possess great length and athleticism to develop into meaningful contributors in the future. With our earlier focus on several nickel defenders at safety to fill in on the inside, we’ll be focusing on boundary corners today.
Here are five mid-round projections at cornerback that the Patriots could target in the 2026 NFL Draft:
Julian Neal, CB, South Carolina
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #88 Overall (#11 CB)
© Wesley Hale-Imagn ImagesJulian Neal is an explosively athletic corner whose size (6’2”, 203 lbs., with 32 ¾” arms), speed, and play strength allow him to overwhelm smaller receivers along the boundary and make plays near the line of scrimmage.
Neal spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Fresno State before transferring to Arkansas to play out his final season. His move was a good one, as he earned a more permanent role as a starter with the Razorbacks and played his best football last year.
He started all 12 games in 2025, registering 55 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, 11 total stops, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups while allowing an opposing passer rating of 82.5 when targeted. His most notable performance of the season came against Arkansas State, when he posted 11 tackles, one interception, and two pass breakups, becoming the third Razorback defensive back since 1997 to hit that mark.
Neal uses his length and strength to his advantage with physicality to jar throws loose at the catch point. He’s a willing run defender on the boundary and a reliable open-field tackler with just a 7.3% missed tackle rate in 2025. He earned his highest career grades across the board last season, per PFF, finishing with high marks in run defense (85.9), tackling (84.2), and pass rush (83.2).
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Neal put on a show. He participated in every drill: 4.49 second 40-yard dash, 40” vertical jump, 11’2” broad jump, 7.13 second 3-cone drill, 4.20 second 20-yard shuttle, and 16 reps of 225 lbs. on the bench press. He earned a 9.20 Relative Athletic Score (RAS, out of 10.00) with his testing numbers, ranking 228th of 2,822 cornerback prospects from 1987-2026.
Continued work on polishing coverage technique and adding more consistent decisiveness in man will help him reach his full potential, but his athletic traits are interesting as a developmental project in the mid-rounds of April’s draft.
Neal’s dynamic size and athleticism could be used to great effect along the boundary or near the line of scrimmage. He’d be an interesting chess piece for Mike Vrabel to mold, and provides long-term insurance in the cornerback room.
Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #92 Overall (#12 CB)
© Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesMalik Muhammad offers reliable coverage skills and strong instincts that let him match receivers across the field while flashing the length to disrupt plays at the catch point and the awareness to contribute in run support.
A three-year contributor and two-year starter at Texas, Muhammad made 29 starts for the Longhorns and had his best year in 2025. He was named Second-Team All-SEC after accruing 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, and four pass breakups while allowing an opposing passer rating of just 57.8 when targeted in 11 games.
He shows good anticipation, field vision, and possesses good fluidity to change directions, allowing him to be an effective man coverage defender from press or off-coverage and adhere to coverage principles while in zone.
Muhammad is one of the smaller boundary corners on this list. At 6’0”, 182 lbs., with 32 ⅜” arms, some may question if he has the frame and mass to contend with larger NFL “X” receivers at the catch point. But what Muhammad lacks in weight, he makes up for with athleticism.
In Indianapolis, Muhammad ran a 4.42 second 40-yard dash, and jumped 39” in the vertical jump and 10’10” in the broad jump. He scored an RAS of 9.58 out of 10.00, ranking 120th of 2,822 cornerback prospects from 1987-2026.
He’ll likely need to put on a few more pounds and shore up his open-field tackling technique if he wants to stay on the outside in the NFL, but the high-floor that Muhammad brings with athleticism and coverage technique are building blocks to a successful transition to the pros.
Muhammad’s well-rounded traits and steady production make him a strong fit as a developmental prospect for New England’s secondary; a rotational piece who can grow into a dependable contributor.
Devin Moore, CB, Florida
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #100 Overall (#13 CB)
© Matt Pendleton-Imagn ImagesDevin Moore has had spells of great success with the Florida Gators, but his already solid production could have been far greater had his first three seasons not been cut short due to injuries.
In his four-year stint with Florida, Moore played in 25 games (17 starts, 1,195 total defensive snaps) and recorded 67 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, 19 total stops, five interceptions, 14 pass breakups and one forced fumble. In his lone complete season in 2025 (11 games), Moore racked up 35 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, 13 stops, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
Off the field, Moore was recognized as a four-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll recipient (2022-25), and was named to the SEC Community Service Team in 2024.
Moore brings impressive size (6’3”, 198 lbs.) and ball skills to the outside corner spot, using his frame to slow releases at the line and disrupt passing lanes while showing good deep-ball tracking that lets him win at the catch point. He drives quickly on the ball with his eyes facing back toward the quarterback in zone and brings a willingness to support the front as a tackler against the run, giving him the makeup to develop into a reliable boundary piece.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Moore ran a 4.50 second 40-yard dash, but did not participate in any other athletic testing drills.
At the next level, Moore will need to improve his lateral quickness in transitions and show more anticipation to stay connected to wideouts on longer developing routes, but a more consistently uninterrupted development path may help him build the confidence he needs to work those things out of his game.
Moore’s length, athleticism, and play style at the boundary corner position fit the identity of Vrabel’s aggressive defense. With no pressure to play from day one, Moore could be a valuable depth add to mold into a long-term starter.
Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #113 Overall (#15 CB)
© Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesDaylen Everette is a smooth, athletic corner whose good size (6’1”, 196 lbs.), length, and agility let him handle inside or outside duties with the fluidity to mirror receivers and stay connected through routes.
Everette racked up 41 starts in his four-year career with the Georgia Bulldogs and had a breakout year in 2024 that included 58 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, 13 total stops, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery with a passer rating against of 89.6. He was named Third-Team All-SEC and earned SEC Championship Game MVP honors with two interceptions against Texas.
Opting to return for one final season at Georgia in 2025, Everette earned First-Team All-SEC honors by the Associated Press after recording 50 tackles, 16 total stops, 11 pass breakups (career-high), one interception, and a 47-yard fumble return touchdown in the Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss. He allowed a career-best passer rating of 84.2 when targeted, and earned high marks with a 90.1 grade in run defense.
He shows strong press ability and the awareness to read and respond to route breaks quickly, while flashing the agility to cut in different directions to make plays on the ball and contribute in run support.
Everette shined at the NFL Scouting Combine, running a 4.38 40-yard dash, and jumping 37.5” in the vertical jump and 10’4” in the broad jump. He posted the second-highest overall athleticism score of corners that attended the combine (85), and recorded an RAS of 9.88, ranking 35th of 2,857 cornerback prospects from 1987-2026.
He’ll need to work on his handsiness (10 career penalties) and form as a more consistent tackler at the next level, but the raw athleticism and vast body of production against high-level competition speaks volumes to his overall value as a mid-round prospect.
Everette fits seamlessly into Vrabel’s physical secondary, giving the Patriots an explosively athletic and rangy corner who can help build a well-rounded secondary long-term.
Will Lee III, CB, Texas A&M
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #119 Overall (#16 CB)
© Maria Lysaker-Imagn ImagesWill Lee III began his collegiate career with Iowa Western Community College in 2021-22, earned NJCAA First-Team All-American honors, and won the Junior College national title before transferring to Kansas State in 2023.
Lee spent one season with the Wildcats and was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12 with 48 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 17 total stops, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and a forced fumble. He landed at Texas A&M in 2024, and was named Second-Team All-SEC after leading the Aggies with 42 tackles, 10 total stops, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), eight pass breakups, and a forced fumble with a career-best opposing passer rating of 82.6 when targeted.
He followed up his 2024 performance with 47 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, 16 total stops, and a team-leading eight pass breakups in 2025.
A model of consistency, Lee brings great length (6’1 ½”, 189 lbs., with 32 3.4” arms) as a boundary corner and uses it to play physically in press and disrupt plays at the catch point. He played a mix of man and zone coverages at Texas A&M and was equally effective at both.
Questions surrounding Lee’s top end speed were answered with a 4.52 second 40-yard dash at the combine, but he jumped extraordinarily well with a 42” vertical jump an 11’0” broad jump. He earned an RAS of 9.36, ranking 181st of 2,822 cornerback prospects from 1987-2026.
In the NFL, Lee will need to work on his transition fluidity to mirror deeper routes downfield, his anticipation breaking on the football in zone, and his aggressiveness in fighting off blocks in run support. Still, he possesses the frame and athleticism of a starting corner in the league with the production at multiple stops to back it up.
Lee would be an interesting depth add early on Day 3 for the Patriots.
BONUS! Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
Consensus Big Board Ranking: #125 Overall (#17 CB)
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesTacario Davis is a long, rangy corner who uses his elite size (6’4”, 194 lbs., with 33 ⅜” arms) to disrupt releases in press coverage, jump routes at the break point, and take away throwing lanes downfield.
Davis spent his first three years with the Arizona Wildcats, earning Honorable Mention All-PAC 12 in 2023 — when he tied for eighth in the FBS with 1.2 passes defensed per game (15 total) — and Second-Team All-Big 12 Conference in 2024.
He transferred to Washington in 2025 and played in seven games, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten after recording 19 tackles, one tackle for loss, five total stops, two interceptions, four pass breakups and allowed a passer rating of just 50.6 when targeted — a career-best mark.
In his collegiate career, Davis tallied 95 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 25 pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. He had a missed tackle rate of just 6.0%, allowed a reception rate of just 49.7%, and an opposing passer rating of 75.2 when targeted in four years.
Davis uses his wingspan and ball skills to smother receivers from the snap through the whistle and showcases an expansive tackle radius and willingness to meet runners in the open field.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Davis impressed with a 4.41 second 40-yard dash, 37” vertical jump, 10’3” broad jump, and earned an RAS of 9.36 out of 10.00, ranking 183rd of 2,822 cornerbacks from 1987-2026.
Davis sometimes gets lost in long-developing routes with multiple breaks, and compensates by grabbing onto the receiver rather than trusting his size and technique. He was penalized 13 times in college, and will need to clean that up to be a trustworthy candidate to man the boundary in the NFL.
Davis checks all the boxes for the traits you can’t teach, and has proven production to back up his athletic prowess. He fits the aggressive, physical profile Vrabel covets in boundary corners, and would be a solid rotational depth piece and developmental talent on early Day 3.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 NFL Draft offers great athleticism, length, and versatility in the secondary, and would help provide much-needed depth for New England’s cornerback room. Whether they contribute early due to injuries higher on the depth chart or patiently develop into a larger role later on, the Patriots can find value at the position in the middle rounds of this year’s draft.
Who do you think the Patriots should add to the cornerback room? Is it as dire a depth-addition as some of the other positions we’ve covered? Let us know in the comments section below.
Next, we’ll be looking at “best fits” in the 2026 NFL Draft along the interior defensive line.
Stay tuned for that and much more right here on Patriots Roundtable.
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