Every time a quarterback targeted cornerback Mansoor Delane over the past two seasons, observers on his sideline were likely holding their breath. Delane is one of the best ball hawks in this draft, boasting a long track record of shutting down opposing receivers from his freshman year at Virginia Tech to his senior year at LSU.
Recent mock drafts from Pro Football Focus and many others have the Rams selecting Delane with pick No. 13 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Out of the 1,064 mock drafts aggregated by Grinding the Mocks, the Rams have selected Delane in around 10% of them and was their second-most drafted player. If that were to happen, it would be the first time general manager Les Snead has selected a cornerback in the first round since he joined the Rams in 2012.
This is not an endorsement of Delane by the Rams, nor is it an indication that they are targeting him. This is simply a reflection of external media linking Delane to Los Angeles in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here's a scouting report on Delane and what he could bring to the Rams' offense:
Scouting Report
In 44 collegiate games, Delane defended 35 passes and intercepted eight. After three years at Virginia Tech, Delane transferred to LSU prior to the 2025 season, where he registered a career-high in passes defended (13) and caught two interceptions. In doing so, Delane proved his skill set would translate against tougher competition in the SEC. Analysts believe he will do the same in the NFL.
Among qualified cornerbacks in the 2026 class, Delane's 31.3 passer rating allowed when targeted ranked second, according to Pro Football Focus. That's a worse rating than if the quarterback had spiked the ball into the ground all 35 times rather than throwing Delane's direction. He allowed just 14 catches for 165 yards on those 35 targets.
NFL Network's Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report that Delane "anticipates breaks from off coverage and pounces to erase separation space," moving swiftly and efficiently. He also praised Delane's physicality both at the catch point and as a tackler, and that's when receivers have gotten open enough to be targeted, which is rare because he stays glued to the hip most of the time.
Bleacher Report's Daniel Harms highlighted similar strengths, adding that his athleticism when reacting, moving backward and triggering downhill will allow him to impact the run game as well as the pass.
Both Zierlein and Harms compared Delane to Eagles star cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who earned First Team All-Pro honors in his second NFL season last year.
"He excels in press coverage, altering release timing with punches and slides," Zierlein wrote. "Smooth hips and efficient footwork keep him connected in man coverage, while his processing allows for quick transitions in off-man and short zone looks."
An AFC scouting director told NFL Network that "he'll be one of the top 10 to 12 corners (in the NFL) pretty quick."
Fit
Delane was known for his sticky man coverage chops in college, but Harms wrote that Delane's high football IQ will help him "play zone at a high level and maintain responsibilities" in the NFL. That fits well with the Rams' coverage scheme, which features high rates of zone and pattern-match, which starts with zone coverage and then transforms to man as the play progresses. Delane's physical skills and mental makeup are well-suited for that kind of system at the next level.
According to multiple reports, the Rams are acquiring All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Chiefs. But even so, the Rams only have three cornerbacks from the 2025 active roster who are not pending free agents: Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Josh Wallace and Darious Williams. The cornerback room is in need of multiple additions, and pairing Delane with McDuffie, assuming the trade goes through, would give the Rams two high-end cover corners, something they haven't had in some time.
"The Rams have big-time secondary needs heading into free agency. If Delane makes it to them here at No. 13, it's hard to think he won't be their guy," wrote Trevor Sikkema in a recent mock draft for PFF.
