2026 NFL draft: 5 cornerbacks for Chargers fans to watch at Combine
Field testing at the NFL Combine begins Thursday, but Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz will speak to the media in Indianapolis on Tuesday, before drills begin.
Here are some cornerbacks Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh could watch during their time at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Chris Johnson, San Diego State
A local product, the 6’0″, 190 lb Johnson ranks at least in the 70th percentile in tracking in-game speed, acceleration and agility. With the versatility to play inside or outside, Johnson would create even more versatility in the Chargers’ secondary, which likely needs another corner to help a rotation that features Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart. Johnson is a disciplined corner who is more than willing to step up and make a tackle, which will endear him to this Chargers staff.
D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
Size (5’9″, 173 lbs) will be a deciding factor for many teams, but that likely won’t be the case for the Chargers. Even with Jesse Minter gone to Baltimore and Chris O’Leary to Western Michigan, the bones of this defensive staff are the same as the Michigan group that drafted Mike Sainristil into a second-round pick as an undersized corner who could move from the edge to the slot. Ponds is a tenacious corner who has established a excellent stripe on the boundary against bigger receivers and has defensive skills and special teams experience.
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Devin Moore, Florida
Moore could be one of the surprises of the week in Indianapolis, as his combination of size and speed could propel him up the draft boards despite his absence from the All-Star circuit. Moore has some injury questions to answer with a history of shoulder and back ailments, but his 6’3″ stature will undeniably be attractive. Given how Hart has struggled with shiftier receivers, Moore’s agility tests will also be something of note for the Chargers.
Jadon Canada, Oregon
A slimmer option on the interior, Canady is more of a pure slot option if the Chargers believe Still can give them that inside/outside versatility on a more consistent basis. A confident player that Oregon also moved to safety – where he had an interception against rival Washington late in the season – Canady comes from a family of track athletes and has destructive potential in the short area. He also demonstrated his versatility as one of the top players at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compares Canady to former Charger Bryce Callahan.
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Avery Smith, Toledo
Canada was great at the Shrine Bowl, but Smith might have been the best overall DB at the event last month. A former quarterback who moved to the corner during his first year in Toledo, Smith has a brotherly relationship with Eagles corner and Toledo alum Quinyon Mitchell. A patient player with jets to make a play when he sees it, Smith is a good recovery corner and doesn’t hesitate to make a play in support of the run. Long speed and tackling technique will be questions this week; However, there remains an intriguing option that O’Leary has seen on the MAC schedule this season.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: 5 cornerbacks for Chargers fans to watch at the Combine
