Vikings take standout LSU cornerback in recent 2026 mock draft

As we begin looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft and some potential targets for the Vikings in the first round, the name that constantly pops up in mock drafts is Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love. But if Love isn't on the board or the Vikings want to add to their defense instead, another player that's been mocked to them pretty frequently is standout LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.

Delane had a big-time season for the Tigers after transferring from Virginia Tech this year. He's the Vikings' pick at No. 11 overall in a recent mock draft from ESPN's Field Yates.

"A notable need for the Vikings is cornerback, where the team is lacking depth behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. Enter Delane, who took his game to another level after transferring from Virginia Tech before this season. He has excellent size for the position (6-foot, 190 pounds) and thrives using force at the catch point to disrupt the ball. Delane is at his best playing off coverage and reading the quarterback, though he is also a willing run defender who could thrive in Brian Flores' aggressive system. When targeted as the primary coverage player this season, he surrendered the third-lowest completion percentage in the FBS (27.8%)."

The Vikings' cornerback room has been relatively disappointing this season. Murphy had six interceptions and earned a Pro Bowl nod last year, then re-signed on a three-year, $54 million deal. 13 games into this season, he has no picks, three passes defended, seven penalties, and a PFF grade that ranks 62nd out of 65 corners who have played at least 500 snaps. Rodgers, who was brought in this offseason, had a historically incredible game against the Bengals in Week 3 and has mostly ranged from mediocre to solid outside of that, including some struggles with tackling.

Murphy and Rodgers are both under contract next year, but that certainly shouldn't stop the Vikings from drafting a cornerback early in April if they want to. Their CB3 has been either Jeff Okudah or Fabian Moreau this season, and both journeyman veterans are on one-year deals.

Delane might be a perfect fit for Flores' defense with his playmaking chops and ability to thrive in both man and zone coverage. Across three seasons at Virginia Tech, he racked up six interceptions, seven tackles for loss, 16 passes defended, and four forced fumbles. This year at LSU, he picked off two passes and recorded a career-high 11 passes defended in 11 games. Teams didn't throw at him all that often, and when they did, it rarely worked out.

He's one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award this year.

On 358 coverage snaps, Mansoor Delane allowed only 147 yards the entire season🤯@LSUfootball https://t.co/AThYtgL5BT pic.twitter.com/HAc22tBsDk
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 10, 2025

#LSU CB Mansoor Delane continues to play like the best cover man (zone or man) in CFB. Easy NFL starter grade as a prospect.

3 PD, 1 INT vs. Arkansas pic.twitter.com/VpYuxx0hpf
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 17, 2025

With respect to Murphy, late-career Patrick Peterson, and others, the Vikings haven't had a true star at cornerback since Xavier Rhodes' peak years in 2016-17. They've used top-50 picks over the years on Mike Hughes, Jeff Gladney, and Andrew Booth Jr., none of whom panned out. If they wind up taking Delane, he'd be their highest-drafted corner since Trae Waynes at No. 11 in 2015.

There's a long way to go, but the fit might end up making all kinds of sense for Minnesota.

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