Three likely draft destinations for LSU football corner Mansoor Delane

Former LSU football cornerback Mansoor Delane made his mark during his lone season at LSU, earning first-team All-American honors and finishing as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back.

His impressive 2025 campaign has firmly put him in the conversation for an early first-round pick in the NFL Draft in April. Where he might come off the board is up for debate, with some mock drafts having him go in the early to mid-teens, while one recent mock draft had him taken in the top five.

The goal of this piece is to take a look at some teams that fit the former Tiger best, but his notoriety limits the options to some extent. It’s highly unlikely Delane makes it past the middle of the first round, so we’re going to limit the available options to teams who are projected to be within range to select him.

Cincinnati Bengals

This isn’t only a great fit because Delane would be joining two former Tigers in Cincinnati, though that certainly heightens the intrigue for LSU fans. The Bengals had one of the NFL’s worst passing defenses in 2025, ranking in the bottom quartile of the league in passing EPA/Play, passing success rate allowed, and explosive pass percentage allowed, according to ESPN’s Sam Hoppen.

Giving them a corner with Delane’s talent has proven to be a major factor in turning around defenses in the past, and there are few in the league who need that sort of talent injection more than Cincinnati.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams were one of the NFL’s best teams this season, and a draft-day trade with the Falcons last offseason landed them what has become the 13th overall pick. Although their defense certainly wasn’t a terrible unit by league standards, their passing defense certainly wasn’t a strength, allowing 7.6 yards per pass attempt this season.

Many mock drafts have the Rams selecting Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy over Delane, but Delane feels like the more likely — and smart — pick. This Rams team wants to maximize its Super Bowl window while Matthew Stafford is still playing, and McCoy didn’t play a snap in 2025 due to an injury during the 2024 college football playoff. Despite concerns about Delane’s size and athleticism, he offers the Rams elite coverage play that they don’t have to draft based on year-old tape.

New York Jets

The Jets are a distinctly different situation from the Rams. This isn’t a team trying to max out a Super Bowl window; it’s a team that’s trying to reload a defensive roster that’s devoid of talent. The draft strategy that works best for a team like this is taking the best player available, and if Delane is still on the board at 16, he certainly qualifies.

Additionally, Delane would be a great fit for Aaron Glenn’s man-coverage-heavy defense. According to Pro Football Focus, Delane posted the second-best man-coverage grade among Power Four cornerbacks in 2025, meshing perfectly with a Jets defense that ran man coverage fourth-most in the league this season.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Three likely draft destinations for LSU football corner Mansoor Delane