LSU Cornerback Mansoor Delane Covers Like a Blanket

I was high on cornerback Mansoor Delane on his 2024 game film at Virginia Tech, but when he transferred to LSU, I was even more excited.

I had a feeling he would flourish there.

But he ended up doing more than that.

Delane became a lockdown cornerback.

🔒

Delane became one of the best cornerbacks I’ve ever evaluated.

That’s the kind of 2025 game film he produced.

Next to Sauce Gardner, I can’t think of another cornerback’s game film I’ve liked more coming out of college since I jumped back into the evaluation game in 2021. Gardner went No. 4 overall to the Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft.

There’s just something different about Delane.

He’s an elite cover corner with the mentality of a knock-you-out safety.

Perfect timing

This kept showing up on his tape.

I don’t care if it was press-man, off-man, or zone coverage; Delane showed the consistent, uncanny ability to arrive when the ball arrived.

• Press-man coverage is when a cornerback lines up close to a wide receiver pre-snap and is assigned to cover him tightly step for step.
• Off-man is when the cornerback lines up a few yards off of his assigned receiver pre-snap, but the assignment remains the same. He’s responsible for that receiver mano a mano.
• Zone coverage is when defenders are responsible for a specific area of the field, not a specific receiver.

Doesn’t matter.

Delane excels at all three types of coverage, and that’s rare in my experience. It’s one thing to intercept the ball or break up passes in press-man or off-man, but most cornerbacks become what I call “after-the-fact” defenders in zone coverage. In other words, they’re only to arrive and make the tackle after the catch has been made and the damage has been done. There’s just too much space for most of them to cover in time to make a difference.

It’s not too much for Delane.

Numbers confirm his film

• 2 interceptions
• 11 passes broken up (PBUs)

Those are Delane’s 2025 pass coverage numbers per ESPN.

But, I swear it was more than 11 PBUs.

It felt like he was getting his hands on the ball more often than the receivers he was covering.

Yet more value

Delane is a banger in support.

Opposing quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends…Delane couldn’t care less.

He wants it.

AND HE BRINGS IT.

Negatives?

They were hard to find because Delane produced some of the cleanest tape this past season that I’ve ever evaluated. There were two times in my notes in 10 games that I would say he got beaten.

But I found a couple of things to nitpick:

• Let his foot off the gas four times in pursuit of long plays by the opponent
• Doesn’t always turn back and look for the ball on deep vertical coverage, which could’ve maybe drawn pass interference calls (but didn’t).

NFL future

It looks bright for Delane.

I think the most encouraging part is Delane’s consistency he’s shown over the past two seasons. He also had two interceptions and seven passes defended for Virginia Tech in 2024.

#4 Mansoor Delane 6-foot-0, 190 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2026 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a First Round prospect as of February 13, 2026

Mansoor Delane Showed First Round Skill Set on 2024 Film (2024: 11 games evaluated)

2025 game film evaluated: Clemson, Louisiana Tech, Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Alabama, Arkansas, and Oklahoma (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Complete corner. Lanky. High football IQ. Good straight-line speed. Flashed second-gear. Good get-up-and-go in off-man on vertical routes. Puts himself in a playmaking position. Physical. Press-man mentality. Receivers are aware of his presence. Uses hands well. Jams. Is one with receivers. Mirrors. Has a way of impeding receivers on routes. Keeps getting in the way without drawing penalties. Uses hands to guide him and stays in concert with receivers at route breakpoints. Plays with great anticipation, instincts, and leverage. Skilled at keeping the game in front of him while keeping his eyes in the backfield. Phenomenal ball instincts. Blitzing upside. Solid tackler.

Final words

Delane Island.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Featured in USA Today. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.