Although we're a long way off from the 2027 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers already have a clear position to target with their first or second-round selection.
Barring a blockbuster trade (looking at you, Christian Gonzalez), the Chargers will have a major hole to address at cornerback next offseason, at least as far as the future of the position is concerned. Under this new regime, they've consistently been comfortable recycling and maximizing their talent in the secondary. Their decision to let Benjamin St-Juste walk to the Green Bay Packers this offseason was evidence of that fact.
But Donte Jackson is only under contract for one more season, and Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart's rookie deals will come to an end after 2027. Beyond that, Los Angeles doesn't have any corners with starting experience currently on their roster.
A lot could change between now and next offseason. But as of now, it wouldn't be a major surprise if the Chargers enter the 2027 NFL Draft cycle in the hunt for one of the top cornerbacks in the class.
ESPN's recent rankings of the top-five players at each position in next year's class, therefore, provide fans with a shortlist of prospects to keep an eye on in the 2026 College Football season.
5 cornerback prospects that should be on the Chargers' radar heading into 2026
Cornerback was an underlying need in the 2026 Draft, but the board ultimately didn't break the Chargers way. With a clearly talented class in 2027, there's a lot more room for Los Angeles to wind up with a top prospect at the position.
ESPN's draft analysts, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid, each had the same five prospects highlighted at cornerback, although they differed in the exact order of their rankings. For the sake of this piece, we'll take Miller's rankings as a starting point.
1. Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
2. Kelley Jones, Mississippi State
3. Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia
4. Zabien Brown, Alabama
5. Ashton Hampton, Clemson
There's room for movement among these prospects, but each has a case to be made to emerge as a serious option for the Chargers.
Moore is heading into a pivotal junior season on a Notre Dame with serious National Championship aspirations. He posted five interceptions and seven passes defended in 2025. Coupled with an adequate, 6-2 frame and excellent speed, Moore seems to be in the process of developing into one of college's most formidable press-coverage corners, and he'll be a massive piece as a boundary cornerback for one of college football's top secondaries in 2026.
Jones, for his part, is in a less competitive program at Mississippi State, but his physical attributes are no less impressive. At 6-4 and 195 pounds, the redshirt junior has the speed and the length to be an eye-popping specimen when he ultimately reaches the pre-draft process. He posted a missed tackle rate of just 8.6% in 2025, per Pro Football Focus, and he's someone who could appeal to Los Angeles as a future outside corner in their zone-heavy scheme.
While Moore is the consensus top cornerback prospect (and will likely stay there barring a major injury), Robinson, Brown, and Hampton have some room to shake things up beyond that. Robinson has the length and speed to operate on an island in man coverage, and he posted an SEC-leading four interceptions as a redshirt freshman at Georgia. Zabien Brown, meanwhile, may have the best run-defending profile out of any corner in this class. Hampton, for his part, will step into Avieon Terrell's spot as the top cornerback on the Clemson defense. Although he had his struggles during his sophomore season, he's a productive tackler and a strong coverage corner with a chance to take major strides in 2026.
Overall, it's far too early to tell what prospects will truly be on the Chargers' radar by the time we arrive at the 2027 NFL Draft. But as we prepare for the new season to unfold, all five of these prospects should be worth watching.
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