5 CBs With Starter Potential Broncos Can Target in Draft

Finding Broncos is back to unearth five draft gems to offer some potential starter options at cornerback.

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats cornerback Tacario Davis (1) against the Colorado Buffalos at Arizona Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There is a lot of speculation about the Denver Broncos' cornerback room and what the future holds. However, it seems unlikely Denver will keep the room intact for 2026 and waste another cost-controlled year on Jahdae Barron's contract.

That Riley Moss or Ja’Quan McMillian could be on the move at some point before the season starts. 

Factoring in both Moss and McMillian, who are only under contract for this year, Denver could be looking to reset the cost in the room with another addition to bolster its depth this year and be in line to potentially start in 2027 with Patrick Surtain II and likely Jahdae Barron.

This is a good year to get some cornerback help, and with a pair of fourth-round picks, the Broncos have plenty of options. 

Today, I'm highlighting five cornerbacks with condensed scouting reports in our annual Finding Broncos draft series. We'll weigh the pros and cons and assess each prospect's fit.

Texas Longhorns defensive back Malik Muhammad (5) celebrates after he intercepts a pass thrown by Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Pros

Muhammad's frame and length are good , and he has the traits to be scheme-versatile as a boundary corner. His vision and awareness when working in coverage are great, and he makes quick diagnoses and is rarely caught out of position or in a coverage break. 

When Muhammad is playing off, when he makes his read, he is quick to trigger and get into phase. He is a fluid and smooth mover, with the quick change-of-direction ability to stick with even the quickest of route runners.

As a run defender, Muhammad will mix it up, play physical on the boundary, and has shown well at sniffing out screens. 

Cons

Muhammad's frame is good, but he will need some added mass to stick at the NFL level. A year as a depth piece and weight room development could be crucial for Muhammad. The lack of mass shows up when big receivers play bully ball, making it easy to box him out at the catch point. 

Muhammad has a few more penalties than you want, seven in two years, but it's how they come as he gets grabby at the top of routes. There is also a lack of ball production, with 15 passes broken up and three interceptions in three years.

Muhammad's tackling technique is concerning, and while it didn’t lead to too many missed tackles at college, they often came against legit NFL prospects, raising concerns about the jump to the NFL. 

Fit With the Broncos

The fit is good; if he can add more mass to his frame, which can be challenging to develop. With Barron in Denver, a former teammate of Muhammad, it could help his transition on the field, but if he can’t develop the frame, the two former teammates would compete for a nickel spot.

That wouldn't be the best usage of the resources at hand.

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Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) against Arizona Wildcats cornerback Tacario Davis (1) at Arizona Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pros

Davis has exceptional size, length, good athleticism, and great ball skills. Even when boxed out by bigger receivers, he has the length to snake through and attack the catch point, giving receivers fits. He is also quick to diagnose plays and jump routes when he reads them from playing off. 

Davis's wingspan leads to a large tackle radius and helps disrupt outside runs and screens. There is also good grip strength, great for a corner that is hard to break from.

He can also hang vertically downfield, and it is nearly impossible to drop a pass over him when he is tight on a receiver. 

Cons

Teams will have to limit Davis's backpedal, as it's slow and messy, where he gets instantly upright. He also struggles to handle breaks, and there are a lot of wasted steps and movement, which creates separation for his receivers. 

Davis has a bad habit of not fully trusting his technique, which leads him to get grabby when the receiver seems to be breaking away. He has good radius as a tackler, but his technique isn’t clean or consistent when he goes to wrap up. 

Fit With the Broncos

Davis is a cover-3 prototype corner, and that is the primary coverage Denver has run over the last two years. With his best fit being outside, he would give Denver a replacement for Moss, with Barron set to take over in the slot for McMillian, if that is the avenue the team decides to take. 

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National defensive back Thaddeus Dixon (1) of North Carolina practices during National Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Pros

When Dixon is on the field, he is a feisty back with the desired level of tenacity, as evidenced by his route mirroring. He has the ideal size and build, with good arm length for working the perimeter. He is a smooth, fluid mover, with great anticipation of breaks to stay in phase rather than getting stacked. 

Dixon's tenacity as a defender shows in tackling attempts, where he squares up and drives through with force. He knows how to use his size and length when attacking the catch point, and there is no delay when he has to close on a receiver when in zone.  

Cons

He missed time in 2025 and doesn’t have a lot of ball production. The breakups are there, but does he have the hands to turn them into interceptions?

Dixon is also hit-and-miss with his energy from snap to snap. There are times you can see him taking it easy, especially in run situations for the offense. 

Dixon doesn't have a great bend, and his anticipation at the college level hides his change-of-direction issues. He won't be able to hide it in the NFL.

When Dixon isn’t the targeted corner, he will ease up and not necessarily give it his all to get involved, which shows trust in his teammates, but when they falter, he isn’t there to have their backs. 

Fit With the Broncos

Dixon might be a better fit in an off coverage scheme, where he can read and react more than having to stick with someone or jam at the line. While he can work in Denver, it may not be an ideal fit. 

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California Golden Bears defensive back Hezekiah Masses (5) during the third quarter against the Texas Southern Tigers at California Memorial Stadium. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Pros

With one year at California, Masses is helping continue the trend of quality defensive back prospects entering the NFL out of the program. He did well in 2025, posting nine pass break-ups and four interceptions, while allowing under 50% of targets his way to be caught.

Masses has such a natural feel when attacking the catch point, and his timing is consistently on point. He has a good ability to stay sticky in man coverage, a natural sense and awareness in zone, and enough scheme versatility.

The speed is there to stick vertically, while the quickness sticks horizontally. His competitive nature shows up throughout the route, but hits another level when the ball comes his way. 

Cons

The balance is an issue and can lead to Massses getting stacked after breaks. There are a lot of penalties, as he resorts to grabbing when he senses he is going to get beaten. His technique is there, but he clearly doesn’t trust it, which leads to some of the penalties. 

Is Masses really a physical defender? There are a lot of issues, both as a run defender and when working downhill, that raise questions.

Masses also has too many sidestep tackle ‘attempts’ against backs in space, to where that mindset has to change if he wants to be a starter in the NFL. 

Fit With the Broncos

The issues working downhill and against the run are hard to overlook, and Denver wants that from its defensive backs, Kris Abrams-Draine excluded. Masses is a lot like Abrams-Draine as a player, with his grabby play mirroring Moss.

Maybe, if Denver drafts Masses, he can borrow Moss’ boxing gloves. 

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NC State Wolfpack defensive back Devon Marshall (6) blocks the ball away from Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Micahi Danzy (19). | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Pros

Marshall has good size and build, with a ton of starting experience between his two years at NC State and Villanova. There is plenty of production, with four interceptions (two in 2024 and 2025), and 26 passes broken up, with 20 of them between 2024 and 2025.

Marshall arrived at North Carolina State, picked things up quickly, and made an immediate impact in 2024. 

Marshall is a feisty corner who offers scheme and positional versatility, with good athleticism. He is sticky in man coverage, with good awareness in zone, and a solid tackler. There is fluidity in his coverage, and he isn’t afraid to mix it up as a run defender. 

Cons

The timing needs to improve massively in all aspects. He has a habit of being aggressive when going for the ball, but when the timing isn’t there, it's a big whiff and a big play for the offense. Even working downhill, his timing is off, and he can be late to meet the ball carrier or get caught on an incoming block. 

When jamming at the line, Marshall's technique is lacking, and his physicality in coverage can draw flags at the NFL level, though he had only eight in college. He also has a habit of being baited by double moves and biting on fakes, which goes hand in hand with his aggressive cover style. 

Fit With the Broncos

Marshall could be a good option as a developmental depth piece for the Broncos, given his versatility. He has many of the traits the Broncos have looked for in their recent cornerback picks, and his inside/outside versatility could leave all options on the table for Barron, Moss, and McMillian. 

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