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LSU CB Mansoor Delane projected as top corner in 2026 NFL mock drafts
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- LSU CB Mansoor Delane projected as top corner in 2026 NFL mock drafts
We're hours away from the 2026 NFL Draft. LSU football is no stranger to the first round. Throughout the years, the Tigers have sent a handful of top prospects to the league, many of whom have gone on to be stars.
2025 was a down year for the Tigers, but LSU still has one prospect projected to go in the first round. LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane is viewed as the top corner in this year's draft class and is expected to be selected fairly early on Thursday night.
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LSU has a proud tradition of producing top-level defensive backs. Few schools can match LSU's volume of secondary talent this century. The reputation is well earned with players like Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson earning All-American honors at LSU before going on to have lengthy NFL careers. Delane, who was a consensus All-American in 2025, hopes to follow in their footsteps.
Let's take a look at where Delane is slotted in the latest NFL mock drafts.
USA TODAY -- Dallas Cowboys , No. 12
USA TODAY's latest mock slots Delane to the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 12 overall pick. The Cowboys need defensive help at every level and Dallas' strategy may just be to take the best defender available. It's not hard to see a scenario where Delane fits that billing.
"The Cowboys should be ecstatic if any of the draft's top-six defensive players slide to the 12th overall selection. Delane is the consensus No. 1 cornerback, amid Jermod McCoy 's injury concerns, and allowed just a 31.3 passer rating in his final season at LSU."
This wouldn't be the first time the Cowboys spent a top-15 pick on an LSU cornerback. In 2013, Dallas drafted Morris Claiborne .
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The Athletic -- Dallas Cowboys, No. 12
Dallas is a popular destination for Delane. The Athletic's Dane Brugler sent Delane to the Cowboys in his final mock draft, too.
"Will the Cowboys feel confident about staying put at 12 and getting their guy? That is what happens in this scenario, with Delane still on the board. I’m betting this fit would work out much better than the last time Dallas drafted an LSU defensive back (Morris Claiborne in 2012)."
ESPN -- Dallas Cowboys, No. 12
ESPN agrees with USA TODAY and The Athletic. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said a trade remains a possibility for the Cowboys, whether that's moving up or moving down, but if the Cowboys stay put at 12, they'll be right in the projected range for the LSU cornerback.
Sports Illustrated -- New Orleans Saints , No. 8
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer has Delane going in the top-10 to a destination LSU fans will be happy to see -- the New Orleans Saints.
"Delane is the very clear top corner in the draft, with ultra-talented Tennessee product Jermod McCoy’s knee injury potentially knocking him all the way out of the first round. Edge rusher would be a possibility, too, but Rueben Bain Jr. wouldn’t be an ideal fit for Brandon Staley’s defense, so I have Mickey Loomis and Kellen Moore keeping Delane in Louisiana "
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Where will LSU CB Mansoor Delane land? Latest NFL mock drafts
