The spotlight naturally finds the blue-chip stars, but Robert Saleh’s defense is built on the grinders who thrive in the dirty work. In a system that demands elite physicality and situational awareness, the Titans are looking for secondary pieces who can dictate the game at the line of scrimmage. With several foundational gaps to fill, Mike Borgonzi and the front office are looking for “identity” players who can survive on an island and in zone coverage while the front four creates chaos.
Think of
the defensive line as the hounds. Their job is to flush the quarterback out of the pocket and keep him running scared. In this system, the cornerbacks are the fences. Their job isn’t just to follow the target; it’s to shrink the field and close every exit. If the hounds do their job but the fence has a hole, the prey escapes. Saleh needs corners who can hold the perimeter firm, funneling the play back into the teeth of the rush until there’s nowhere left to run.
At the Combine this past week, Saleh was blunt about his vision for the secondary: “We want guys who will stick their face in the fan.” If you’re a cornerback who is allergic to contact, you simply won’t fit the “fast and violent” mantra he’s bringing to Nashville.
Here are five cornerback targets who fit that aggressive DNA.
1. Chris Johnson (San Diego State)
Projected to Go: Rounds Late 1-2
I want to start this off by saying, I really like Colton Hood, Avieon Terrell, and Keith Abney. However Chris Johnson just has that Saleh feel about him. If you want “smart speed,” you look at Chris Johnson. He is one of the most polished technical corners in the class, showing a “conservative but smart” temperament. He rarely gets beat deep because his eyes and footwork are always in sync. He proved his range in Indy, clocking a scalding 4.40-second 40-yard dash.
- The Processor: Johnson understands zone rotations and route combinations better than almost anyone in the class, acting as a reliable safety valve. He’s a sure-handed wrap-tackler who brings the football IQ needed to capitalize on the pressure created by the front four. He knows how to jump routes and cause turnovers.
Johnson is the rare prospect whose testing numbers finally caught up to his elite processing speed. At San Diego State, he was a master of off-coverage, often baiting quarterbacks into throws he had no business reaching. He plays with a calm, calculated demeanor that makes him a perfect fit for a Saleh-led locker room that values “winning the rep before the ball is even snapped.” Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want another Chris Johnson in Nashville?
2. Davison Igbinosun (Ohio State)
Projected to Go: Rounds Late 2–3
Unashamedly, this is MY corner in the draft. To me, Igbinosun is the most “Saleh” player on this list in terms of temperament. He is infamous for a physical, sometimes borderline illegal, playstyle that wears down opposing wideouts. Yes, he has a penalty history, but he was lightyears more disciplined in 2025, proving he’s coachable. While his vertical and broad jumps were lower than expected in Indy, he officially measured in at 6’2” with 33-inch arms and clocked a smooth 4.45-second 40-yard dash.
- The Tone-Setter: He doesn’t just cover receivers; he tries to physically break them. In a defense that prides itself on “Violence,” he is the emotional spark plug of the secondary and the perfect CB1 candidate to mirror and strike from the line of scrimmage.
There is a gritty, “old-school” nature to his game that scouts either love or fear. He spent his time at Ohio State stifling Big Ten receivers with a hand-fighting technique that borders on offensive. While some worry about his high-cut frame and stiff hips in transition, his length allows him to recover and disrupt the catch point even when he’s a half-step behind. He is the guy you put on the boundary to tell the opposing team that nothing is going to be easy today.
3. Julian Neal (Arkansas)
Projected to Go: Rounds 2–3
If you’re looking for the pure “freak” of this secondary class, Neal is the guy who spent the weekend in Indy rewriting the explosive testing books. He recorded a massive 40-inch vertical and a 11’2” broad jump, proving he has the raw twitch to close windows in a heartbeat. At 6’1″ and 203 lbs, he’s built more like an enforcer safety than a finesse corner, which is music to Robert Saleh’s ears.
- Above-the-Rim: Neal is a physical specimen who uses every ounce of his frame to lean on WRs at the catch point. While he can be a bit tightly wound laterally, his linear speed and absolute refusal to lose a 50/50 ball make him a classic “denim-jacket” player for this unit.
A San Francisco native who sharpened his teeth in the SEC, Neal plays with a “bully” mentality that shows up in the run game as much as it does in coverage. He’s been compared to Zyon McCollum because of that rare mix of length and explosive power, but to me, Neal feels even more “brawny” when he’s capping off a tackle. He can occasionally get caught peeking at the backfield—a habit from his safety days—but his ability to click and close on short routes makes him a nightmare for quarterbacks trying to move the chains on quick slants.
4. Tacario Davis (Washington)
Projected to Go: Rounds 3–5
Davis was the “Length Winner” of the week, measuring in at a towering 6’4” with an elite 33 3/8-inch arm length. He silenced the critics by clocking an official 4.41-second 40-yard dash, proving he has the recovery wheels to match his massive frame.
- The Projected Unicorn: Tacario is another corner who is great at reading and jumping routes. In a Wide-9 system, having a guy with his wingspan allows you to disrupt the timing of receivers at the line of scrimmage. While once viewed as a mid-round project, he provides a rare physical mismatch that is almost impossible to throw over when he is in phase.
Standing as one of the tallest corners to ever come through the Combine, Davis is essentially a “moving wall” on the perimeter. His legs unfurl like a gazelle’s, allowing him to gain speed quickly once he hits his stride. While more complicated, multi-breaking routes can still shake him, his “tackle net” is so expansive that he can shut down perimeter runs and screens single-handedly.
5. Devon Marshall (NC State)
Projected to Go: Rounds 5–7
If you want a late-round flyer with “coach’s favorite” written all over him, Marshall is the name. He’s a long-limbed perimeter defender who stood out in the “Gauntlet” drill at the Combine with some of the smoothest transitions in the late-day group. He measured in at 6’0″ and showed the high-IQ diagnostic skills that make him a natural fit for Saleh’s zone-match schemes.
- Technical Depth: Marshall is a high-floor player who won’t stand out in any one physical category, but he consistently finds ways to stay in phase. He is exactly the type of steady rotational starter who can provide reliable depth from day one and excel on special teams.
Marshall is the definition of a “concept” defender. At NC State, he was praised for his ability to handle complex communication in the secondary, rarely blowing a coverage despite playing in a high-pressure system. He lacks “elite” top-end burners, but is still projected to run a 4.4 at the NC State Pro Day on March 19th. This is why he’ll be available on Day 3, but his performance against Florida State, where he allowed a microscopic 7.7 passer rating when targeted. Proves his technical discipline makes him a high-reward option for a team looking to shore up the roster in the later rounds.
The “Face in the Fan” Verdict
The Titans secondary is being rebuilt with a specific DNA: Length, Speed, and Physicality. From the veteran-like polish of Davison Igbinosun to the raw, sky-high potential of Tacario Davis, Borgonzi and Saleh have a clear vision for the No-Fly Zone.
Saleh isn’t just looking for cover guys; he’s looking for defenders who can turn a “track meet” into a “collision course.” By pairing these types of corners with the newly reinforced defensive line, the Titans are finally building a defense that can dictate the game rather than just reacting to it.
But I want to hear from you! Now that Tacario Davis has officially clocked a 4.41, do you pull the trigger on his attributes in Round 4, or are you hoping to grab Chris Johnson, Davison Igbinosun, or Julian Neal earlier to set the tone? Drop a comment below!
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