The 2025 NFL Draft is now just days away. Teams are in final preparations, fine-tuning their big boards, hosting last-minute prospect visits, and analyzing every roster detail. While only a handful of insiders truly know each franchise’s draft-day plans, one thing is sure: elite cornerbacks are in high demand.
As the first round kicks off on April 24 in Green Bay, let us dive into the standout CB prospects whose speed, instincts, and lockdown potential make them draft-day headliners.
Remembering The Combine Numbers and Their Films for 2025’s Top Cornerback Prospects?
Now, all eyes are on the athletes expected to reshape pro football’s future, especially the lockdown specialists. Here’s one last check on the 2025 NFL Draft’s cornerback standouts.
Darien Porter, Iowa State Cyclones
In 2024, Darien Porter emerged as a true NFL prospect despite limited experience. He tallied three interceptions—two in a key win over Iowa—and became a special-teams standout with five career blocked kicks.
Porter played a school-record 64 games, finishing with 51 tackles and earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12. His impact went beyond stats, helping lead Iowa State to two Big 12 title games and five bowl appearances while earning multiple Academic All-Big 12 honors.
He came into the 2025 NFL Combine as a projected mid-round pick, but he skyrocketed up draft boards after a stunning display of athleticism.
Measuring nearly 6’3″ with long 33 1/8-inch arms, Porter ran a lightning-fast 4.3-second 40-yard dash, paired with a 36.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-11 broad jump. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) ranked him as the fourth-most athletic cornerback in combine history — outstanding.
Zah Frazier, UTSA Roadrunners
Frazier has seen a great rise over the past year, following a breakout 2024 season that put him in the spotlight. Earning All-AAC First Team honors, he set a UTSA single-season record with six interceptions, ranking second in the FBS. He also recorded nine pass breakups, 15 total passes defended, 24 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble.
Prior to 2024, Frazier had not started a game. In 2023, he played in just five matchups with three tackles and a pass breakup, and in 2022, he logged 12 appearances with seven tackles.
The 6’3”, 186-pounder brought out his beast mode at the NFL Combine, turning heads with an explosive performance. He clocked 4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash—fifth among 24 cornerbacks and 10th overall.
His agility was on full display with a 7.0-second three-cone drill (second among corners) and a 4.26-second 20-yard shuttle (third among his group). He also impressed with a 36.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-6 broad jump, ranking seventh and eighth in his position group, respectively.
Jahdae Barron, Texas Longhorns
Barron was the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner as college football’s best cornerback. He led the SEC, was third in the nation with five interceptions, and was fourth in the SEC with 11 pass breakups. The Austin, Texas native finished his Longhorns career with 226 tackles, including 21 tackles for loss, and was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press.
Barron showcased elite speed at the 2025 NFL Combine, clocking a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash with a 1.50-second 10-yard split, second only to Iowa State’s Darien Porter. His 40 time tied for sixth-best among all cornerbacks. Barron also posted a solid 35-inch vertical and 10-foot-3 broad jump, ranking 11th and 12th among cornerbacks.
Though he didn’t participate in positional drills, his performance solidified his stock as a projected mid-first to early second-round pick in the draft.
Caleb Ransaw, Tulane Green Wave
Caleb Ransaw’s decision to follow head coach Jon Sumrall from Troy to Tulane paid off well. In 2024, he earned a spot on the All-AAC third team after recording 33 tackles, including four for loss, a sack, and three pass breakups. In 2023, his final season at Troy, he got an All-Sun Belt honorable mention. He tallied a career-best 51 tackles, six tackles for loss, one interception, and a fumble recovery.
At the 2025 NFL Combine, Ransaw stood out as one of the top athletes in the entire draft class. He ran an impressive 4.33-second 40-yard dash, ranking third among cornerbacks and sixth overall.
His 40-inch vertical led all cornerbacks, while his 10-foot-9 broad jump placed him fifth. He also logged 16 reps on the bench press, showcasing his strength and placing third among corners.
Ransaw’s rare blend of speed, explosiveness, and physicality has made him a compelling prospect expected to come off the board within the early rounds.
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Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky Wildcats
Maxwell Hairston’s final collegiate season saw a setback due to a shoulder injury that kept him out for six games, but he made a strong comeback late in the year. He had 19 tackles, a strip-sack, four pass breakups, and a pick-six in 2024, reaffirming his reputation as a top cornerback.
Hairston made an impression at the 2025 NFL Combine by clocking a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash, the fastest time among all participants. But he’s far more than just raw speed. The CB has polished ball skills and smooth, instinctive movement.
Hairston’s athletic versatility has been honed through years of competing in track and basketball; he will surely excel at the next level.
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