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Browns could find a starting nickel late in the 2026 NFL Draft
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- Browns could find a starting nickel late in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Cleveland Browns need a nickel cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft or in free agency before the start of the season.
Currently, their nickel is slated to be Myles Harden , a seventh round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Lucky for the Browns, the 2026 class offers quite a few names to keep an eye on at the nickel cornerback position. The headliner of this breed would be Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds. The issue with Ponds is that the Browns would likely have to use the 39th overall pick on the 5-foot-8 cornerback, as he is a consensus top-50 player in the class.
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Deeper down the board, as we get into late Day 2 or early Day 3, however, there is a sleeper in this class who would fit the role like a glove under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg. So, just who is this nickel cornerback who could surprise at the NFL level and win a day-one starting job?
Could the Browns draft Jadon Canady?
Oregon cornerback Jadon Canady has been on draftnik's radars for quite some time. He has been a standout performer since his days as a redshirt freshman at Tulane, where he was a gnat for that loaded Group of Five team. He then transferred to Ole Miss in 2024, where he was primarily used as a boundary cornerback rather than a nickel. After one year playing out of position, Canady completed his final year of eligibility with the Ducks in 2025.
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Canady is a well-traveled nickel who has played a ton of football. He's also not afraid to let the pads pop, which, for a nickel who will be asked to fit the run far more than a boundary cornerback, is an absolute necessity. Turning on the tape to the USC game , it's easy to see him working downhill, punching blockers, and showing no fear, throwing his frame into contact as a tackler.
In coverage, Canady is a gnat underneath. He sinks into pockets so well at the top of routes and is hard to shake free of. This is the kind of player who finds a role early and becomes a disruptor for a defense. Hopefully, he becomes that disruptor for the Browns.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns must target Jadon Canady as starting nickel in 2026 NFL Draft
