Inside The Vikings

Meet the 3 cornerbacks you'll see as frequent Vikings mock draft picks

Avieon Terrell, Mansoor Delane, and Jermod McCoy could all be logical fits for Minnesota with the 18th overall pick in April.
Will Ragatz|
Avieon Terrell, Mansoor Delane, and Jermod McCoy will be names connected to the Vikings in lots of mock drafts over the next three months.
Avieon Terrell, Mansoor Delane, and Jermod McCoy will be names connected to the Vikings in lots of mock drafts over the next three months. | Imagn Images

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Minnesota Vikings

If you click on a 2026 NFL mock draft and scroll to see the Vikings' projected pick at No. 18 overall, there's a solid chance it'll be a cornerback. And specifically, one of three cornerbacks who are expected to go somewhere in the middle of the first round. All three are talented prospects who could make a lot of sense for a Vikings team that hasn't drafted a Pro Bowl corner since Xavier Rhodes in 2013.

Let's meet them.

Avieon Terrell, Clemson

Avieon Terrell
Avieon Terrell | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
  • Size: 5'11", 180
  • Age: 21
  • 2025 stats: 9 PD, 0 INT, 5 FF, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 83.5 PFF grade

If this last name and school combination sounds familiar, it's because Terrell is the younger brother of former Clemson corner A.J. Terrell, who was the 16th pick to the Falcons in 2020 and has since started 93 games and made an All-Pro team. Avieon is a little bit smaller than his older brother, but he's an outstanding player and first-round prospect in his own right.

Terrell is a fluid athlete who is consistently around the ball, making plays. He only had three interceptions in his three seasons at Clemson, but he broke up 25 total passes. Terrell also had four sacks, nine total tackles for loss, and a whopping eight forced fumbles over just the last two seasons. He can line up outside or in the slot and isn't afraid to play downhill in run support or even blitz from the secondary.

Mansoor Delane, LSU

Mansoor Delane (4)
Mansoor Delane (4) | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
  • Size: 6'0", 190
  • Age: 22
  • 2025 stats: 11 PD, 2 INT, 90.7 PFF grade

Delane spent his first three seasons at Virginia Tech, where he turned some heads with four interceptions as a junior. He then transferred and spent his final season at LSU, which turned out to be a great decision. Delane went to another level in his fourth year, recording 11 pass breakups and earning All-American honors. And he's now in line to potentially be the top cornerback off the board in this year's draft, perhaps going before the Vikings have a chance to take him at 18.

Delane was a true shutdown corner this past season. Per PFF, he allowed just 13 catches and no touchdowns on 35 targets in his coverage. He's a sticky corner with playmaking skills, but scouts apparently have some questions about his straight-line speed, so it'll be interesting to see what he runs in the 40 (or if he runs at all) at the combine.

Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Jermod McCoy
Jermod McCoy | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
  • Size: 6'0", 193
  • Age: 20 (will be 21 in August)
  • 2024 stats (missed 2025 season): 9 PD, 4 INT, 87.0 PFF grade

McCoy is a trickier evaluation than the other two because he didn't play a snap in 2025 due to an ACL injury last January. Still, he was so good in 2024 that he remains in the mid-first round mix. After starting his career at Oregon State, McCoy was a breakout star for Tennessee as a 19-year-old sophomore. He was outstanding in coverage and snagged four picks for the Vols. His medicals will be important, but in the modern era, we've seen all kinds of players come back from torn ACLs and thrive.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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