ESPN labels LSU's Mansoor Delane as first round pick in latest mock

Mock draft season is in full swing, as ESPN’s Field Yates released his latest first-round predictions

For LSU, star corner Mansoor Delane is the name to watch. The transfer finds himelf headed to the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 11 pick in the the 2026 NFL Draft. Delane is the first corner selected off the board in Yates’ draft.

“A notable need for the Vikings is cornerback, where the team is lacking depth behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. Enter Delane, who took his game to another level after transferring from Virginia Tech before this season. He has excellent size for the position (6-foot, 190 pounds) and thrives using force at the catch point to disrupt the ball. Delane is at his best playing off coverage and reading the quarterback, though he is also a willing run defender who could thrive in Brian Flores’ aggressive system. When targeted as the primary coverage player this season, he surrendered the third-lowest completion percentage in the FBS (27.8%).”

Delane has had quite a year during his lone season in Baton Rouge, helping the Tigers amass the top-rated pass efficiency defense in the SEC.

On3 All-American

Over the past three months, Delane has solidified himself as a first round pick with an All-SEC first-team selection as well. On Wednesday morning, On3 announced its All-America team and Delane locked down one of the two cornerback spots. Here’s what On3 wrote:

CB: Mansoor Delane, LSU

“Another “DBU” product, Mansoor is LSU’s latest star cornerback, a true cover cornerback who’s at his best in man coverage. Mansoor’s lone season at LSU was a productive one after starting his career at Virginia Tech. Mansoor had two interceptions and led LSU with 11 pass breakups. He was one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in the country.”